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Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2024; 14(11); doi: 10.3390/ani14111638

Findings and Prognosis in 149 Horses with Histological Changes Compatible with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Abstract: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic disease characterized by different cell infiltrates in the intestine. The aims of this study were to report the clinical and clinicopathological findings in horses with histological changes compatible with IBD in the duodenum. Further, the clinical progression of IBD and survival were investigated. Patient records were reviewed for horses in which histological evidence of IBD was found in duodenal biopsies collected during endoscopy. The histological changes were classified as mild, moderate or severe and the predominant infiltrating cell type was recorded. Clinical improvement was assessed by the owner via a questionnaire at 6 weeks after biopsy, along with survival after one year. In total, 149 horses were included, and the most common clinical signs were weight loss, reduced performance and pain during abdominal palpation. Most horses showed partial malabsorption during an oral glucose absorption test, and the horses with severe IBD had lower serum protein concentrations. Lymphoplasmacytic enteritis was the most common type of IBD (78.5% of cases), while in six horses neutrophilic infiltration of the duodenum was present. Overall, 71% of the cases had improved clinically after six weeks, mostly following treatment with corticosteroids. The results of a second biopsy were a poor predictor of improvement, and the horses that improved after 6 weeks were more likely to be alive after one year.
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Publication Date: 2024-05-30 PubMed ID: 38891685PubMed Central: PMC11171156DOI: 10.3390/ani14111638Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

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 research article evaluates clinical and pathological characteristics in horses with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), explored the course of the disease, and examined survival rates.

Objective and Methodology

  • The study aimed to investigate the symptomatology, pathologic findings, clinical progression, and survival rates in horses diagnosed with IBD.
  • Medical records of horses with histologically-proven IBD were reviewed. The detection of IBD involved biopsies of the duodenum during endoscopy procedures.
  • The severity of histological changes was categorized into mild, moderate, or severe. The study also recorded the predominant cell type infiltrating the tissue.
  • Owners evaluated the clinical progress of their horses through a questionnaire six weeks after the biopsy. Survival rates were assessed after a year.

Findings

  • The study included a total of 149 horses. The most frequently reported clinical signs were weight loss, reduced performance, and abdominal pain during palpation.
  • Most of the horses exhibited partial malabsorption during an oral glucose absorption test, indicative of digestive abnormalities.
  • Those with severe IBD had lower protein concentrations in their serum, indicating nutritional deficiency and malabsorption.
  • Lymphoplasmacytic enteritis, characterized by the infiltration of lymphocytes and plasma cells, was the most prevalent form of IBD (78.5% of cases). Six of the horses had neutrophilic infiltration in the duodenum, suggesting acute inflammatory response.

Treatment Outcomes and Survival

  • About 71% of cases showed clinical improvement six weeks post-biopsy, primarily following corticosteroid treatment.
  • Second biopsy results, however, weren’t a reliable predictor of clinical progress.
  • Horses that showed improvement after six weeks had better survival rates after one year.

In conclusion, the study provided valuable insights into the pathology and prognosis of IBD in horses, which could be instrumental for veterinarians in diagnosing and managing this chronic health condition.

Cite This Article

APA
Kranenburg LC, Bouwmeester BF, van den Boom R. (2024). Findings and Prognosis in 149 Horses with Histological Changes Compatible with Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Animals (Basel), 14(11). https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14111638

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 14
Issue: 11

Researcher Affiliations

Kranenburg, Lieuwke Cecilia
  • Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 112, 3584 CM Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Bouwmeester, Bo F
  • Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 112, 3584 CM Utrecht, The Netherlands.
van den Boom, Robin
  • Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 112, 3584 CM Utrecht, The Netherlands.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Citations

This article has been cited 1 times.
  1. Pekkarinen HM, Simola U, Niinistö KE, Syrjä PES. Clinical features, diagnostic findings, and treatment response in Finnish horses examined for equine inflammatory bowel disease. Acta Vet Scand 2025 Dec 3;68(1):2.
    doi: 10.1186/s13028-025-00831-8pubmed: 41339891google scholar: lookup
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