Abstract: To investigate neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) concentrations in serum and synovial fluid (SF) from horses with joint inflammation. Methods: Experimental studies and retrospective clinical study. Methods: Serum and SF samples were available from healthy horses (n = 19), clinical cases, and horses with experimental joint inflammation. Clinical cases included horses with (n = 10) or without (n = 10) septic arthritis. Experimental intra-articular inflammation was induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS; n = 7, severe inflammation), lidocaine (n = 6, moderate inflammation), or mepivacaine (n = 6, mild inflammation). Methods: Availability of samples was based on approval from the local ethical committee and from the Danish Animal Experiments Inspectorate. Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin was measured with a previously validated enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Repeated-measurements one- and two-way analysis of variance and correlation analysis were used to analyze NGAL concentrations and white blood cell counts (WBC). Results: After injection of LPS or lidocaine, SF NGAL concentrations increased 343- (P = .0035) and 60-fold (P = .0038) relative to baseline, respectively. Serum NGAL also increased in both groups (P < .05) but to lower concentrations than in SF. Concentrations were higher after injection of lidocaine SF NGAL than after injection of mepivacaine (P < .05) at 6 and 12 hours. Synovial fluid concentrations of NGAL were higher in horses with septic arthritis than in the nonseptic group (P = .0070) and in healthy controls (P = .0071). Concentrations of NGAL correlated with WBC in SF (P < .0001, R = 0.49) and in blood (P = .0051, R = 0.27). Conclusions: Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin concentrations increased in SF in response to experimentally induced and naturally occurring joint inflammation. Synovial fluid NGAL concentration correlated with WBC and, thus, seems to reflect intensity of joint inflammation. Conclusions: Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin may prove to be a useful biomarker of joint inflammation and infection in horses.
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The article discusses a research study that explores the levels of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) in blood and synovial fluid of horses suffering from joint inflammation. The researchers concluded that NGAL could serve as a helpful biomarker for detecting joint inflammation and infection in horses.
Research Methodology
The research involved both experimental studies and a retrospective clinical study. The subjects included healthy horses, clinical cases, and those with experimental joint inflammation.
Clinical cases were further classified into horses with septic arthritis and those without.
Joint inflammation was experimentally induced using lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for severe inflammation, lidocaine for moderate inflammation, or mepivacaine for mild inflammation.
The availability of serum and synovial fluid samples was approved by the local ethical committee and the Danish Animal Experiments Inspectorate.
The NGAL levels were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
Data analysis was done using repeated-measurements one- and two-way analysis of variance and correlation analysis to interpret NGAL concentrations and white blood cell (WBC) counts.
Findings
After inducing inflammation with LPS or lidocaine, a significant spike was observed in the synovial fluid NGAL concentration.
These injections also caused an increase in serum NGAL levels but not as much as in synovial fluid.
In treatment with lidocaine, NGAL concentration was higher compared to mepivacaine.
Horses suffering from septic arthritis showed higher synovial fluid NGAL levels than those in the non-septic group and in healthy controls.
Concentrations of NGAL had significant relation with WBC in synovial fluid and blood.
Conclusion
Both the experimentally induced inflammation and naturally occurring joint inflammation led to an increase in NGAL levels in synovial fluid.
The correlation of NGAL concentration with WBC indicated that the former could be representative of the intensity of joint inflammation.
These research findings suggest that NGAL might be a potential biomarker to detect joint inflammation and infection in horses.
Cite This Article
APA
Frydendal C, Nielsen KB, Berg LC, van Galen G, Adler DMT, Andreassen SM, Jacobsen S.
(2021).
Influence of clinical and experimental intra-articular inflammation on neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin concentrations in horses.
Vet Surg, 50(3), 641-649.
https://doi.org/10.1111/vsu.13582
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