Efficacy of treatment of equine anhidrosis with acupuncture and Chinese herbs is low but higher in treated horses compared with placebo.
Abstract: To assess the therapeutic efficacy of acupuncture in combination with Chinese herbs for treatment of horses affected with anhidrosis. Methods: 44 horses affected with anhidrosis for up to 3 years' duration were enrolled. Inclusion required both compatible clinical signs and results of a quantitative intradermal terbutaline sweat test. Methods: Study horses were randomly allocated into 2 groups. Group 1 (n = 19) was treated with daily Chinese herbs and 4 weekly acupuncture sessions. Group 2 (n = 25) was given daily hay powder as a placebo and 4 weekly sham acupuncture sessions. Horses were tested by quantitative intradermal terbutaline sweat test within 2 days after treatment completion and again 4 weeks following treatment. Results: Terbutaline-induced sweat responses (mg) were not different between groups within 2 days and 4 weeks after treatment. Two days after treatment, ratios of sweat responses (compared to baseline) were higher (P < .05) in the treatment group compared to the placebo group at terbutaline concentrations of 1.0, 100, and 1,000 µg/mL. The number of horses responding to treatment was higher in the treatment group (5/19 [26%]), compared to horses in the placebo group (1/25 [4%]) for 1 of 5 terbutaline concentrations 2 days (10 µg/mL) or 4 weeks (0.1 µg/mL) after treatment. Conclusions: Ratios of sweat responses were higher in treatment horses 2 days after treatment, compared to baseline, but not 4 weeks later. The efficacy of a traditional Chinese veterinary medicine protocol for anhidrosis treatment with acupuncture and Chinese herbs was low but higher in treated horses compared with placebo.
Publication Date: 2023-12-06 PubMed ID: 38056073DOI: 10.2460/javma.23.08.0474Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The study explores the impact of acupuncture combined with Chinese herbs on treating anhidrosis, a condition in horses that results in an inability to sweat, and finds that while the efficacy is low, it is still higher than a placebo treatment.
Introduction
- Anhidrosis in horses, characterized by the inability to sweat, is a condition that typically lasts for up to three years and can severely impact the health and performance of affected horses.
- The researchers aimed to test the effectiveness of a treatment approach that combines acupuncture with Chinese herbs in addressing anhidrosis in horses, as compared to a placebo.
Methodology
- A total of 44 horses, which had shown clinical signs of anhidrosis, were chosen as subjects in this study.
- The horses were randomly divided into two groups. The first one, consisting of 19 horses, was provided daily doses of Chinese herbs along with four weekly acupuncture sessions. The control group of 25 horses received daily hay powder (placebo) and four sham acupuncture sessions in a week.
- Using the intradermal terbutaline sweat test, horses were evaluated both within two days and four weeks after completion of the treatment.
Results
- Results showed that terbutaline-induced sweat responses were similar in both groups within the two-day and four-week testing periods post-treatment.
- However, when compared to baseline sweat responses, the horses that received treatment showed higher sweat-response ratios two days after treatment, specifically at terbutaline concentrations of 1.0, 100, and 1,000 µg/mL.
- Furthermore, the number of horses that responded positively to the treatment was higher in the treatment group as compared to the placebo group, indicating a slightly improved efficacy.
Conclusion
- The study concluded that although the efficacy of the acupuncture and Chinese herbal treatment for anhidrosis in horses is relatively low, it still showed a higher effectiveness as compared to placebo treatment.
Cite This Article
APA
Mallicote MF, Medina CI, Xie H, Zilberschtein J, Atria S, Manzie M, Hernandez JA, MacKay RJ.
(2023).
Efficacy of treatment of equine anhidrosis with acupuncture and Chinese herbs is low but higher in treated horses compared with placebo.
J Am Vet Med Assoc, 1-6.
https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.23.08.0474 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- 1Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.
- 2Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.
- 2Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.
- 2Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.
- 3Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain.
- 4Lotus Veterinary Alternatives, Gainesville, FL.
- 1Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.
- 1Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.
- 1Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.
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