Evaluation of activated neutrophils in the blood of horses with colic.
Abstract: To evaluate the activation status of neutrophils in blood samples obtained from horses with naturally occurring colic associated with strangulating obstruction, nonstrangulating obstruction, or inflammatory bowel disease. Methods: 30 horses with naturally occurring colic and 30 healthy control horses. Methods: Activation status of neutrophils was determined by assessing the number of neutrophils that could pass through filters with 5-microm pores, cell-surface CD11-CD18 expression, and alterations in size and granularity of neutrophils. Results: Horses with impaction or gas colic did not have evidence of activated neutrophils. Horses with inflammatory bowel disease consistently had evidence of activated neutrophils, including decreased leukocyte deformability, increased CD11-CD18 expression, increased neutrophil size, and decreased neutrophil granularity. Horses with strangulating colic had variable results. Of horses with strangulating colic, 7 of 14 had marked changes in filtration pressures, 5 of 14 had increased CD11-CD18 expression, 6 of 14 had changes in neutrophil size, and 5 of 14 had changes in neutrophil granularity. Among horses with strangulating colic, changes in deformability, size, and granularity of neutrophils correlated with an adverse outcome. Conclusions: Activated neutrophils were detected in all horses with inflammatory bowel disease and a few horses with strangulating colic. Correlation of activated neutrophils with horses that had strangulating colic that died or were euthanatized indicates that activated neutrophils are a negative prognostic indicator. Additional studies are needed to determine whether activated neutrophils contribute directly to the adverse outcome in horses with strangulating colic.
Publication Date: 2003-11-19 PubMed ID: 14620771DOI: 10.2460/ajvr.2003.64.1364Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research investigated the activation status of neutrophils (a type of white blood cell) in horses with different types of colic, such as strangulating obstruction and inflammatory bowel disease, and compared it against healthy horses. The results showed that activated neutrophils were found in the blood of horses with inflammatory bowel disease and some with strangulating colic, suggesting that these might serve as a negative prognosis indicator.
Methodology
- The study involved a total of 60 horses – 30 with naturally occurring colic of different types (strangulating obstruction, nonstrangulating obstruction, or inflammatory bowel disease), and 30 healthy control horses.
- Examining the activation status of the neutrophils involved assessing the number of these cells that could pass through filters with 5-microm pores, the expression of cell-surface molecules CD11-CD18, and any changes in the size and granularity of the neutrophils.
Findings
- The findings showed that horses with gas or impaction colic did not show evidence of activated neutrophils.
- All horses with inflammatory bowel disease exhibited activated neutrophils, evidenced by decreased leukocyte deformability, increased CD11-CD18 expression, larger neutrophil size, and decreased neutrophil granularity.
- Results for horses with strangulating colic varied. Among the 14 horses with this condition, 7 showed significant changes in filtration pressures, 5 had increased CD11-CD18 expression, 6 had changes in the size of the neutrophils, and 5 had changes in neutrophil granularity.
- Among the horses with strangulating colic, those that displayed changes in neutrophil deformability, size, and granularity were associated with a negative outcome.
Conclusions and Further Research
- Activated neutrophils were identified in all horses suffering from inflammatory bowel disease and some with strangulating colic. Their presence correlates with adverse outcome in horses, suggesting that activated neutrophils could serve as a negative prognostic indicator.
- More studies are needed to determine if activated neutrophils directly contribute to the poor outcome seen in horses with strangulating colic.
Cite This Article
APA
Weiss DJ, Evanson OA.
(2003).
Evaluation of activated neutrophils in the blood of horses with colic.
Am J Vet Res, 64(11), 1364-1368.
https://doi.org/10.2460/ajvr.2003.64.1364 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Veterinary PathoBiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St Paul, MN 55108, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- CD11 Antigens / blood
- CD18 Antigens / blood
- Colic / blood
- Colic / diagnosis
- Colic / therapy
- Colic / veterinary
- Horse Diseases / blood
- Horses
- Neutrophil Activation / physiology
- Neutrophils / immunology
- Reference Values
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