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Home / Equine Research Bank / Equine Vet J / Evaluation of cartilage injury in horses with osteochondral ...
Equine veterinary journal2023; doi: 10.1111/evj.13937

Evaluation of cartilage injury in horses with osteochondral fragments in the metacarpo-/metatarsophalangeal joint: A study on 823 arthroscopies.

Abstract: Osteochondral fragment removal is commonly performed but there are little scientific data supporting this procedure in the absence of clinical signs. More information is needed to facilitate clinical decision-making regarding fragment removal of the metacarpo-/metatarsophalangeal joint. Objective: To assess prevalence of cartilage injury in the equine metacarpo-/metatarsophalangeal joint and its association to fragment size, location, age and lameness. Methods: Retrospective observational study. Methods: Clinical records, including radiographs of 823 metacarpo-/metatarsophalangeal joints (640 horses) that underwent arthroscopic fragment removal, were reviewed. Fragment size, intra-articular fragment location and cartilage injury score were recorded. Presence of synovitis was retrospectively evaluated in 157 joints. Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests were used for group comparisons, and Dunn's post hoc test was applied for multiple comparisons. Linear regression analysis was used to assess strength of association between age and mean cartilage score. Univariable regression analysis was performed and variables with p < 0.2 were used in the final mixed-effects multivariable model to which backwards stepwise selection was applied. Significance level was p < 0.05. Results: Cartilage injury was present in 28.8% (95% CI = 25.8-32.0) of joints. Lameness was not associated with fragment location or fragment size. Fragment size was not associated with cartilage injury. Age (OR = 1.35, 95% CI = 1.22-1.48, p < 0.001) and lameness (OR = 5.03, 95% CI = 2.27-11.68, p < 0.001) were associated with cartilage injury as well as fragment location (palmar/plantar, OR = 0.22, 95% CI = 0.13-0.38, p < 0.001), with dorsal fragments being more likely to be associated with cartilage lesions than palmar/plantar fragments. There was a significant association between age and mean cartilage score (b = 0.18, 95% CI = 0.14-0.22, p < 0.001). Conclusions: The series included a heterogenous group of horses of different breed, sex, age and use. Data were collected retrospectively and could, in parts, not be fully evaluated. Conclusions: Early fragment removal, especially in joints with dorsal fragmentation, can be beneficial to avoid future cartilage injuries in equine athletes. Unassigned: La extracción de fragmentos osteocondrales es realizada comúnmente, pero hay poca información científica que apoye este procedimiento en la ausencia de signos clínicos. Se necesita más información para facilitar la toma de decisiones clínica con respecto a la extracción de fragmentos de la articulación metacarpo−/metatarso falángica. Objective: Evaluar la prevalencia de lesiones cartilaginosas en la articulación metacarpo−/metatarso falángica en el equino y su asociación a tamaño de fragmento, su localización, edad y cojera. DISEÑO DE ESTUDIO: Estudio retrospectivo observacional. MÉTODOS: Se revisaron registros clínicos, incluyendo radiografías de 823 articulaciones metacarpo−/metatarso falángicas (640 caballos) que fueron intervenidas artroscopicamente y fragmentos que fueron extraídos. El tamaño, localización intraarticular de los fragmentos y score de lesión cartilaginosa fueron anotados. La presencia de sinovitis fue evaluada retrospectivamente en 157 articulaciones. Pruebas de Kruskal-Wallis y Mann-Whitney fueron usadas para comparación de grupos y prueba post hoc de Dunn, fueron usadas para comparaciones múltiples. Se utilizo análisis de regresión linear para evaluar la fuerza de asociación entre la edad y el score de lesiones cartilaginosas promedio. Se llevo a cabo un análisis de regresión univariable y las variables con p < 0.2 fueron usadas en el modelo final de efectos mixtos multivariable al cual se le aplico selección por pasos hacia atrás. Nivel significativo fue p < 0.05. Results: Lesiones de cartílago estaban presentes en 28.8% (95% CI = 25.8-32.0) de las articulaciones. No se asoció cojera con ubicación o tamaño del fragmento. El tamaño del fragmento no se asoció con lesiones de cartílago. Edad (OR = 1.35, 95% CI = 1.22-1.48, p < 0.001) y cojera (OR = 5.03, 95% CI = 2.27-11.68, p < 0.001) fueron asociados con lesiones de cartílago tanto como con ubicación de fragmento (palmar/plantar, OR = 0.22, 95% CI = 0.13-0.38, p < 0.001), con los fragmentos dorsales siendo más probablemente asociados con lesiones de cartílago que los fragmentos palmares/plantares. Se encontró una asociación significativa entre edad y score promedio de cartílago. (b = 0.18, 95% CI = 0.14-0.22, p < 0.001). Unassigned: La serie incluyo un grupo heterogéneo de caballos de diferente razas, sexo, edad y uso. Los datos fueron recolectados retrospectivamente y podría ser, en parte, no totalmente evaluados. Conclusions: La extracción temprana de fragmentos, especialmente en articulaciones con fragmentación dorsal, puede ser beneficioso para evitar lesiones cartilaginosas futuras en atletas equinos.
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Publication Date: 2023-03-15 PubMed ID: 36922161DOI: 10.1111/evj.13937Google Scholar: Lookup
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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.

This research article is about an evaluation of cartilage injury in horses that undergone osteochondral fragment removal in the metacarpo-/metatarsophalangeal joint. Data from 823 arthroscopies were analyzed, looking at factors like fragment size, location, age, and lameness, to determine their impact and the prevalence of cartilage injury.

Research Objectives and Methods

  • This research focuses on assessing the danger of cartilage injury in horses undergoing arthroscopic fragment removal from the metacarpo-/metatarsophalangeal joint – a common procedure which currently lacks substantial scientific backing in conditions where there are no clinical symptoms.
  • The researchers carried out a retrospective observational study in which they reviewed clinical records and radiographs from 823 such procedures performed on a total of 640 horses.
  • The fragment size, location of the fragment within the joint, and the score for cartilage injury were recorded. Some joints were also checked for the presence of synovitis.
  • Statistical analyses of the data were performed using Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests for group comparisons, as well as linear regression analysis to assess the strength of association between the age of the horse and the mean cartilage score.

Results

  • The results showed that cartilage injuries were present in 28.8% of the joints operated on.
  • Further analysis of data suggested that the presence of lameness did not show any significant association with the location or size of the osteochondral fragments.
  • Interestingly, the size of the fragments also did not show any significant association with cartilage injuries.
  • However, the age of the horse did seem to have a significant correlation with the presence of cartilage injuries: older horses have a higher risk of such injuries.
  • Fragment location also mattered: fragments found on the dorsal (back) side of the joint were more likely to be associated with cartilage injuries than fragments found on the palmar/plantar (front) side.

Conclusions and Implications

  • The study concluded by suggesting that early fragment removal, especially in joints with dorsal fragmentation, can be beneficial to avoid future cartilage injuries in equine athletes.
  • The population of horses examined in this study was heterogeneous, encompassing different breeds, sexes, ages, and uses, thus potentially increasing the relevance and applicability of the study’s findings.
  • Nevertheless, it was acknowledged that the data were collected retrospectively and therefore some variables may not have been fully evaluated.

Cite This Article

APA
Goldkuhl JEC, Zablotski Y, Sill V, Jahn W, Lorenz I, Brunk J, Gerlach K, Troillet A. (2023). Evaluation of cartilage injury in horses with osteochondral fragments in the metacarpo-/metatarsophalangeal joint: A study on 823 arthroscopies. Equine Vet J. https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.13937

Publication

Equine veterinary journal
ISSN: 2042-3306
NlmUniqueID: 0173320
Country: United States
Language: English

Researcher Affiliations

Goldkuhl, Janna Evelina Cornelia
  • Pferdeklinik Bargteheide, Bargteheide, Germany.
Zablotski, Yury
  • Clinic for Horses at the Centre for Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ludwig Maximilians University, Munich, Germany.
Sill, Volker
  • Pferdeklinik Bargteheide, Bargteheide, Germany.
Jahn, Werner
  • Pferdeklinik Bargteheide, Bargteheide, Germany.
Lorenz, Ina
  • Pferdeklinik Bargteheide, Bargteheide, Germany.
Brunk, Jan
  • Pferdeklinik Bargteheide, Bargteheide, Germany.
Gerlach, Kerstin
  • Department for Horses, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
Troillet, Antonia
  • Department for Horses, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.

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