Haematuria, pigmenturia and proteinuria in exercising horses.
Abstract: The effects of exercise on urinary excretion of red blood cells, pigments (haemoglobin and myoglobin) and protein were studied in 8 mares performing treadmill exercise at speeds eliciting 40, 60 and 95% of the maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max). Gross haematuria and pigmenturia were observed in all horses during exercise at the 2 higher intensities, while these findings were detected in only one of 8 mares during exercise at 40% of the VO2max. For the remaining 7 mares exercised at 40% of the VO2max, increased urinary excretion of red blood cells (RBCs) and pigments was evident after centrifugation of urine samples and reagent strip analysis of the supernatant fractions. An increase in urine flow (UF) during exercise at 40% of the VO2max may have contributed to the infrequent observation of gross haematuria and pigmenturia during exercise at this intensity. A transient increase in UF following exercise at 60 and 95% of the VO2max resulted in rapid resolution of gross haematuria and pigmenturia, but increased urinary excretion of RBCs and pigments remained evident by reagent strip analysis for up to 60 min following exercise. Mean +/- s.e. urinary protein excretion increased from a resting value of 2.2 +/- 0.2 mg/min to 5.6 +/- 0.9, 14.5 +/- 4.7 and 78.4 +/- 18.6 mg/min after exercise at 40, 60 and 95% of the VO2max, respectively. These results demonstrate that exercise induced haematuria and pigmenturia and post exercise proteinuria are common in horses. Their occurrence is transient and does not appear to be associated with any lasting changes in renal function.
Publication Date: 1995-01-01 PubMed ID: 7774551DOI: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.1995.tb03035.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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This study investigates how different levels of exercise affect the urinary excretion of red blood cells, pigments, and protein in horses, indicating that intense exercise can lead to temporary occurrences of haematuria (blood in urine) and pigmenturia (pigments in urine), as well as proteinuria (protein in urine) after exercise.
Research Methodology
- The study involved eight mares who were put on treadmill exercises at different levels of intensity – 40%, 60%, and 95% of their maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max).
- The researchers then analysed urine samples taken from these horses to see any possible changes in the urinary excretion of red blood cells, pigments, and protein.
Findings
- All horses showed gross haematuria and pigmenturia when exercised at 60% and 95% of their VO2max, suggesting the presence of blood and pigments in their urine during these high-intensity exercises.
- However, at an exercise level of 40% of their VO2max, gross haematuria and pigmenturia were only observed in one of the eight mares. The remaining seven also showed increased urinary excretion of these substances but not to a degree where it could be visible. This could be due to an increased urine flow (UF) at this exercise intensity which might be diluting the observed changes.
- High-intensity exercise led to a temporary increase in UF resulting in rapid resolution of visible blood and pigments in urine. But reagent strip analysis still detected increased urinary excretion of red blood cells and pigments for up to an hour after the exercise.
- The average rate of urinary protein excretion progressively increased with the intensity of exercise, rising from a resting value of 2.2 mg/min to 5.6, 14.5, and as high as 78.4 mg/min after exercise performed at 40%, 60%, and 95% of VO2max respectively.
Conclusion
- The researchers concluded that exercise-induced haematuria, pigmenturia, and post-exercise proteinuria are common in horses. However, these phenomena are transient and do not to lead to any lasting changes in renal function, indicating that horses may not suffer from long-term kidney damage as a result of intensive exercise.
Cite This Article
APA
Schott HC, Hodgson DR, Bayly WM.
(1995).
Haematuria, pigmenturia and proteinuria in exercising horses.
Equine Vet J, 27(1), 67-72.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-3306.1995.tb03035.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman 99164-6610.
MeSH Terms
- Analysis of Variance
- Animals
- Female
- Hematuria / etiology
- Hematuria / veterinary
- Horse Diseases / etiology
- Horses / urine
- Physical Exertion / physiology
- Pigments, Biological / urine
- Proteinuria / etiology
- Proteinuria / veterinary
Citations
This article has been cited 9 times.- Saint-Pierre LM, Burkitt-Creedon JM, H Alonso F, Wun MK. Exertional hemolysis and hematuria in a Labrador Retriever dog. J Vet Diagn Invest 2022 Nov;34(6):968-971.
- Siwinska N, Zak A, Paslawska U. Detecting acute kidney injury in horses by measuring the concentration of symmetric dimethylarginine in serum. Acta Vet Scand 2021 Jan 15;63(1):3.
- Siwińska N, Pasławska U, Bąchor R, Szczepankiewicz B, Żak A, Grocholska P, Szewczuk Z. Evaluation of podocin in urine in horses using qualitative and quantitative methods. PLoS One 2020;15(10):e0240586.
- Villarino NF, Lopez CM, Sams RA, Bayly WM. Pharmacokinetics of furosemide in thoroughbred horses subjected to supramaximal treadmill exercise with and without controlled access to water. BMC Vet Res 2019 Aug 2;15(1):275.
- McGivney BA, Griffin ME, Gough KF, McGivney CL, Browne JA, Hill EW, Katz LM. Evaluation of microRNA expression in plasma and skeletal muscle of thoroughbred racehorses in training. BMC Vet Res 2017 Nov 22;13(1):347.
- Scarpa P, Di Fabio V, Ramirez C, Baggiani L, Ferro E. Proteinuria, GGT index and fractional clearance of electrolytes in exercising athletic horses. Vet Res Commun 2007 Aug;31 Suppl 1:339-42.
- Arosalo BM, Raekallio M, Rajamäki M, Holopainen E, Kastevaara T, Salonen H, Sankari S. Detecting early kidney damage in horses with colic by measuring matrix metalloproteinase -9 and -2, other enzymes, urinary glucose and total proteins. Acta Vet Scand 2007 Jan 23;49(1):4.
- Smithies O. Why the kidney glomerulus does not clog: a gel permeation/diffusion hypothesis of renal function. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2003 Apr 1;100(7):4108-13.
- Kiełbik P, Witkowska-Piłaszewicz O. Iron Status in Sport Horses: Is It Important for Equine Athletes?. Int J Mol Sci 2025 Jun 12;26(12).
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