Factors associated with outcome in 94 hospitalised foals diagnosed with neonatal encephalopathy.

The research paper examines the factors that contribute to non-survival in foals afflicted with neonatal encephalopathy. The study found that overall survival rates were quite good, but persistent low blood pressure, concurrent diseases, specific bloodwork results at admission, and treatment with certain medications during hospitalization were all factors that lessened a foal’s chances of survival.

Methodology

• This research is a cross-sectional clinical study retrospective in nature. That means it looks at data from the past to draw conclusions.
• The researchers identified cases from equine neonatal admissions (foals up to 14 days old) between 1996 and 2007.
• A multivariable logistic regression was used to correlate several factors including clinical parameters, laboratory variables, and therapeutic interventions with non-survival rates.

Results

• The study comprised a total of 94 foals. Their age at the time of admission ranged from 0 to 96 hours, with a median age of 12 hours.
• Several clinical signs were frequently observed among the foals including abnormal udder seeking, abnormal suckle, inability to stand, abnormal gastrointestinal motility, abnormal consciousness and seizure activity.
• Despite these signs, the survival rate was promising, with 79.8% of the foals surviving to discharge.
• In terms of the factors associated with non-survival, these included high levels of serum total calcium concentration, low levels of serum activity of alkaline phosphatase, foals lying down (recumbency), the number of concurrent diseases the foal was afflicted with, and the use of vasopressors/inotropes.

Conclusions

• The findings suggest that overall survival rates were positive and consistent with prior studies focused on the same subject.
• The study discovered that the only therapeutic intervention associated with non-survival were vasopressors/inotropes, which are drugs that raise blood pressure. This implies that persistent hypotension (low blood pressure) is linked with non-survival in the examined population.
• In other words, foals that had concurrent disease, high total calcium and low alkaline phosphatase serum levels at admission, were recumbent or required treatment with vasopressors/inotropes during hospitalisation, were significantly less likely to survive neonatal encephalopathy.