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Evaluation of a wireless ambulatory capsule (SmartPill®) to measure gastrointestinal tract pH, luminal pressure and temperature, and transit time in ponies.
Abstract: This study investigated the use of a wireless ambulatory capsule (WAC; SmartPill(®) pH.p GI Monitoring System) to determine WAC-gastric emptying time (GET) in ponies. Objective: To measure WAC-GET and compare it to those findings with GET assessed by nuclear scintigraphy (S-GET). Objective: WAC-GET will be slower than S-GET, but will be significantly correlated. Methods: Seven healthy adult mixed-breed pony mares were used in this study. Feed was withheld for 12 h prior to the WAC administration. After administration, a complete-feed diet was fed to allow the WAC to pass into the stomach. Luminal pH, temperature and pressure were collected by a modified receiver secured to the pony. Once the pH reached a value of ≥ 8.0, it was determined that gastric emptying had occurred, and ponies were fed grass hay. After 5 days, data were downloaded and analysed using proprietary software. During the second period of the study, after at least 2 weeks, 4 of the ponies underwent a standard S-GET test. Results: The WAC was successfully administered, and data were collected from all ponies. The mean percentage of data packets collected by the receiver was 84.9 ± 3.51% (range 66.8-95.1%). Mean WAC-GET was 7.38 h (range 0.15-46.65 h). Mean gastric pH was 4.75 (range 2.07-6.99). Mean small intestinal transit time was 4.6 h. The mean pH for the small intestine was 8.0. The mean S-GET time (in hours) when 10% of the radioactive feed is present in the stomach (T-90%) was 2.3 h. The S-GET did not correlate significantly with the WAC-GET. Conclusions: The WAC was safely administered to ponies, and data were collected using a modified receiver. The WAC-GET varied considerably between ponies, but was ≤ 3 h in 5 of the 6 ponies. The WAC used in this study provided a noninvasive technique that produced novel information about the pony gastrointestinal tract, but owing to the substantial variability in GET values and long transit time it may not be a reliable clinical tool at this time.
© 2012 EVJ Ltd.
Publication Date: 2012-02-02 PubMed ID: 22296404DOI: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.2011.00533.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
- Animal Health
- Animal Studies
- Biotechnology
- Clinical Examination
- Clinical Pathology
- Clinical Study
- Diagnosis
- Diagnostic Technique
- Disease Diagnosis
- Equine Health
- Gastrointestinal Health
- Horses
- In Vivo
- Noninvasive Procedures
- Physiology
- Pony
- Technology
- Veterinary Medicine
- Veterinary Practice
- Veterinary Procedure
- Veterinary Research
Summary
This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.
The article is centered around a study on the use of a wireless ambulatory capsule (SmartPill) to measure gastrointestinal parameters in ponies. It aimed to compare the time it took for the capsule to be emptied from the stomach (WAC-GET) with that measured using nuclear scintigraphy (S-GET).
Research Methodology
- The research involved seven healthy, mixed-breed adult pony mares which were put on a feed hold for 12 hours before administering the WAC.
- A full-feed diet was given post-administration allowing the WAC to proceed into the stomach. The capsule’s journey within the stomach seemed to be tracked by a receiver attached to the pony, collecting readings of luminal pH, temperature and pressure.
- Once the pH value reached 8.0, which presumably indicates the capsule’s departure from the acidic stomach environment, the ponies were given grass hay. After a period of five days, the collected data was examined.
- For part two of the study, a pair of weeks later, four of the ponies underwent a standard S-GET test, a nuclear scintigraphic study typically used to study gastric emptying times.
Results of the Study
- The WAC was successfully administered and data was collected from all the ponies. The mean amount of data packets received was 84.9 ± 3.51%.
- The mean WAC-GET recorded was 7.38 hours, while the average pH was 4.75. The time it took for the capsule to transit through the small intestine was 4.6 hours, with an average pH of 8.0.
- In the S-GET test, the time it took for 10% of the radioactive feed to remain in the stomach was 2.3 hours. A critical observation here was the lack of significant correlation between times measured by the WAC and the scintigraphy test.
Conclusions
- The SmartPill capsule was effectively administered to the pony test subjects and successful data collection was performed. However, large variability was observed in the gastric emptying times across different ponies-
- While the use of WAC provided novel insights into the pony’s gastrointestinal functioning, the considerable variance in GET times and the longer transit time make its present reliability as a clinical tool questionable.
Cite This Article
APA
Stokes AM, Lavie NL, Keowen ML, Gaschen L, Gaschen FP, Barthel D, Andrews FM.
(2012).
Evaluation of a wireless ambulatory capsule (SmartPill®) to measure gastrointestinal tract pH, luminal pressure and temperature, and transit time in ponies.
Equine Vet J, 44(4), 482-486.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-3306.2011.00533.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Equine Health Studies Program, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Body Temperature
- Gastrointestinal Tract / physiology
- Gastrointestinal Transit / physiology
- Horses / physiology
- Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
- Pressure
- Wireless Technology
Citations
This article has been cited 7 times.- Martinez MN, Papich MG, Fahmy R. Impact of gastrointestinal differences in veterinary species on the oral drug solubility, in vivo dissolution, and formulation of veterinary therapeutics. ADMET DMPK 2022;10(1):1-25.
- Steinmann M, Bezugley RJ, Bond SL, Pomrantz JS, Léguillette R. A wireless endoscopy capsule suitable for imaging of the equine stomach and small intestine. J Vet Intern Med 2020 Jul;34(4):1622-1630.
- Hildebrandt T, Scheuch E, Weitschies W, Grimm M, Schneider F, Bachmann L, Vervuert I. Measurement of abomasal conditions (pH, pressure and temperature) in healthy and diarrheic dairy calves using a wireless ambulatory capsule. Livest Sci 2017 Sep;203:41-47.
- Coleman MC, Whitfield-Cargile C, Cohen ND, Goldsby JL, Davidson L, Chamoun-Emanuelli AM, Ivanov I, Eades S, Ing N, Chapkin RS. Non-invasive evaluation of the equine gastrointestinal mucosal transcriptome. PLoS One 2020;15(3):e0229797.
- Li YW, Yu YJ, Fei F, Zheng MY, Zhang SW. High-resolution colonic manometry and its clinical application in patients with colonic dysmotility: A review. World J Clin Cases 2019 Sep 26;7(18):2675-2686.
- Camilleri M, Linden DR. Measurement of Gastrointestinal and Colonic Motor Functions in Humans and Animals. Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol 2016 Jul;2(4):412-428.
- Hodgson E, Thirouin M, Narayanan P, Romano TR, Wise J, Bond S. A novel placement method of a calibration-free pH capsule for continuous wireless measurement of intragastric pH in horses. J Vet Intern Med 2025 Jan-Feb;39(1):e17273.
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