Fecal strongyle egg counts in horses with suspected pre-clinical pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction before and after treatment with pergolide.
Abstract: Pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID) has been associated with diminished immune response in aged horses. This prospective study hypothesised that this may result in increased strongyle egg shedding in affected animals and that horses treated with pergolide would have reduced fecal egg counts (eggs per gram, EPG) compared to placebo-treated animals. Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) concentrations and EPG were tested in 48 horses. There were no significant differences in baseline EPG between horses with pre-clinical PPID and healthy controls. There was no significant difference in EPG between horses with PPID after treatment with pergolide and placebo-treated animals. Using EPG as a marker of immune function, these results did not support a proposed decrease in immune function in horses with pre-clinical PPID.
Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2018-03-23 PubMed ID: 29704940DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2018.03.007Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH)
- Clinical Study
- Comparative Study
- Disease Treatment
- Epidemiology
- Equine Health
- Fecal Egg Count
- Geriatric Horses
- Hormones
- Horses
- Immune Response
- Immune System
- Infection
- Observational Study
- Parasites
- Pergolide Mesylate
- Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction
- Placebo
- Strongyles
- Veterinary Medicine
Summary
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The study was about investigating the impact of Pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID) and the treatment with pergolide on fecal strongyle egg counts in horses. The study didn’t find significant evidence to support that PPID deteriorates immune function or that pergolide has a significant impact on egg counts in affected horses.
Background of the Study
- Pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID) in horses is a condition that has been linked to a weakened immune response in older horses.
- Strongyle eggs are a type of parasitic worm egg common in horse populations. Their quantity in feces (fecal egg counts, or EPG) can be a marker of the horse’s immune function.
- The research aimed to investigate if horses with PPID have increased strongyle egg shedding, indicating a weaker immune system, and if the drug pergolide could potentially decrease these counts, therefore improving immune response.
Study Design
- The study was prospective in nature, meaning it aimed to follow up with the subjects over time to study outcomes.
- The researchers tested 48 horses for their Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) levels and EPG.
- The ACTH hormone test is a standard diagnostic test for PPID in horses.
- They assessed EPG before and after pergolide treatment or placebo.
Results
- At the start of the study, EPG between horses with pre-clinical PPID and healthy controls showed no significant differences.
- There was also no significant difference in EPG between the horses treated with pergolide for PPID and those treated with a placebo.
- This implies that pre-clinical PPID may not significantly impact immune function as measured by EPG, and the treatment with pergolide might not have a significant impact on egg counts in affected horses.
Study Conclusions
- The study did not find substantial support for the hypothesis that PPID has a significant negative effect on the immune system function in horses, as the EPG was not significantly higher in horses with PPID.
- Further, the pergolide treatment did not seem to significantly reduce EPG compared to placebo, suggesting it may not have a clear beneficial effect on immune function as measured by fecal strongyle egg counts.
Cite This Article
APA
Christen G, Gerber V, van der Kolk JH, Frey CF, Fouché N.
(2018).
Fecal strongyle egg counts in horses with suspected pre-clinical pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction before and after treatment with pergolide.
Vet J, 235, 60-62.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tvjl.2018.03.007 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Swiss Institute of Equine Medicine, University of Bern and Agroscope, Länggassstrasse 124, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland. Electronic address: Garance.christen@vetsuisse.unibe.ch.
- Swiss Institute of Equine Medicine, University of Bern and Agroscope, Länggassstrasse 124, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland.
- Swiss Institute of Equine Medicine, University of Bern and Agroscope, Länggassstrasse 124, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland.
- Institute of Parasitology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Länggassstrasse 122, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland.
- Swiss Institute of Equine Medicine, University of Bern and Agroscope, Länggassstrasse 124, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland.
MeSH Terms
- Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / blood
- Animals
- Feces / parasitology
- Horse Diseases / drug therapy
- Horse Diseases / immunology
- Horse Diseases / parasitology
- Horses
- Parasite Egg Count
- Pergolide / adverse effects
- Pergolide / therapeutic use
- Pituitary Diseases / drug therapy
- Pituitary Diseases / immunology
- Pituitary Diseases / veterinary
- Pituitary Gland, Intermediate
- Prospective Studies
- Strongyle Infections, Equine / complications
- Strongyloidea
Citations
This article has been cited 2 times.- DeNotta S, McFarlane D. Immunosenescence and inflammaging in the aged horse.. Immun Ageing 2023 Jan 6;20(1):2.
- Kirkwood NC, Hughes KJ, Stewart AJ. Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID) in Horses.. Vet Sci 2022 Oct 10;9(10).
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