Effects of intra-articular injections of bufexamac suspension on amphotericin B-induced aseptic arthritis in horses.

The study investigates the impact of intra-articular injections of bufexamac on aseptic arthritis induced by amphotericin B in horses, concluding that the treatment effectively reduced symptoms of lameness and synovial fluid beta-glucuronidase activity.

Research Methodology and Design

• The study involves 24 Standardbred horses, to whom aseptic arthritis was induced in the right intercarpal joint utilizing an intra-articular injection of amphotericin B (20 mg).
• A week after induction (day 0), the horses were randomly assigned to one of four treatment groups. Each group, consisting of six horses, were treated with an intra-articular injection of either 10, 20, or 40 mg of bufexamac suspension (20 mg/ml) or 2.0 ml of a sterile saline (0.9% NaCl) solution (acting as the control group).
• Each treatment was repeated once, seven days post the initial application. Clinical lameness examinations and examinations of the synovial fluid were done before the arthritis induction and at weekly intervals for five continuous weeks (days 0, 7, 14, 21, and 28).

Key Findings

• The article concludes that intra-articular injection of amphotericin B consistently instigated aseptic arthritis, noticeable through a lameness index of 2.7 +/- 0.17 on day 0.
• Significant reduction of the lameness index was observed on day 28 in the horses injected with 20 and 40 mg of bufexamac, as compared to the control group.
• The administration of amphotericin B led to a notable increase in synovial fluid beta-glucuronidase (BGLUC) activity. Conversely, intra-articular injections of bufexamac significantly decreased the activity of this enzyme on the 28th day, when compared against the control values.

Conclusion

• The result of the study concluded that administering two intra-articular injections of either 20 or 40 mg of bufexamac weekly, was effective in lowering the clinical signs of lameness as well as the synovial fluid activity of BGLUC associated with amphotericin B induced carpal joint arthritis in horses.
• Moreover, the study deduced that bufexamac possesses anti-inflammatory properties potentially beneficial for intr-articular treatment of lameness linked to aseptic arthritis in horses.