Intervertebral Disc Degeneration in Warmblood Horses: Morphology, Grading, and Distribution of Lesions.
Abstract: Equine intervertebral disc degeneration is thought to be rare and of limited clinical relevance, although research is lacking. To objectively assess pathological changes of the equine intervertebral disc and their clinical relevance, description of the normal morphology and a practical, biologically credible grading scheme are needed. The objectives of this study are to describe the gross and histological appearance of the equine intervertebral discs and to propose a grading scheme for macroscopic degeneration. Spinal units from 33 warmblood horses were grossly analyzed and scored. Of the 286 intervertebral discs analyzed, 107 (37%) were assigned grade 1 and grade 2 (considered normal) and were analyzed histologically. A nucleus pulposus and an annulus fibrosus could be identified macroscopically and histologically. Histologically, the nucleus pulposus was composed of a cartilaginous matrix and the annulus fibrosus of parallel collagenous bands. A transition zone was also histologically visible. Intra- and inter-observer reliability scores were high for all observers. Higher grades were associated with greater age. Gross changes associated with equine intervertebral disc degeneration (grades 3-5)-that is, yellow discoloration, cleft formation (tearing), and changes in consistency of the nucleus pulposus-were largely similar to those in humans and dogs and were most prevalent in the caudal cervical spine. Equine intervertebral disc degeneration was not associated with osteophyte formation. Changes of the vertebral bone were most common in the thoracolumbar spine but were not correlated with higher grades of intervertebral disc degeneration. Thus, changes of the vertebral bone should be excluded from grading for equine intervertebral disc degeneration.
Publication Date: 2018-01-05 PubMed ID: 29301464DOI: 10.1177/0300985817747950Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The research analyzes the characteristics of intervertebral disc degeneration in warmblood horses by investigating the disc’s normal morphology and providing a grading system for any degeneration observed. The study concludes that higher grades of degradation were linked to higher ages and that such changes were most common in certain spine regions, but not correlated with changes to vertebral bone.
Analysis of Equine Intervertebral Disc
- The objective of the research was to identify pathological changes and their clinical importance in the equine intervertebral disc. For this purpose, the conventional morphology of the disc was analyzed, and a credible grading system for the progression of degeneration was introduced.
- To evaluate and grade the condition of the disc, the researchers analyzed the gross and histological characteristics of spinal units collected from 33 warmblood horses.
- A total of 286 intervertebral discs were analyzed, with 107 (37%) of them graded as 1 and 2 — considered normal. The researchers analyzed these normally graded discs for histological details.
Features of Intervertebral Disc
- A nucleus pulposus and an annulus fibrosus could be distinguished through macroscopic and histological investigations. In the histological analysis, the nucleus pulposus was characterized by a cartilaginous matrix while the annulus fibrosus was composed of parallel collagenous bands. A transition zone between the two was also histologically visible.
- The research also highlighted that the reliability scores for observation were high among all observers, indicating the consistency of observation and grading.
Degeneration of Intervertebral Disc
- The study noticed a direct link between older age and higher grades of disc degeneration. The gross changes related to equine intervertebral disc degeneration (like yellow discoloration, cleft formation or tearing, and changes in the consistency of the nucleus pulposus) resembled those seen in humans and dogs.
- These degenerative changes were most commonly found in the caudal cervical spine. Interestingly, the study pointed out that equine intervertebral disc degeneration is not associated with osteophyte formation, which contrasts with humans.
- Changes in the vertebral bone were most common in the thoracolumbar spine. However, these bone changes didn’t correlate to higher grades of intervertebral disc degeneration. Therefore, the research advises excluding vertebral bone alterations from the grading system for equine intervertebral disc degeneration.
Cite This Article
APA
Bergmann W, Bergknut N, Veraa S, Gröne A, Vernooij H, Wijnberg ID, Back W, Grinwis GCM.
(2018).
Intervertebral Disc Degeneration in Warmblood Horses: Morphology, Grading, and Distribution of Lesions.
Vet Pathol, 55(3), 442-452.
https://doi.org/10.1177/0300985817747950 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- 1 Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
- 2 Department of Clinical Sciences of Companion Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
- 3 Division of Diagnostic Imaging, Department of Clinical Sciences of Companion Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
- 1 Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
- 4 Department of Farm Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
- 5 Department of Equine Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
- 5 Department of Equine Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
- 6 Department of Surgery and Anaesthesia of Domestic Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
- 1 Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Horse Diseases / classification
- Horse Diseases / pathology
- Horses
- Intervertebral Disc / pathology
- Intervertebral Disc Degeneration / pathology
- Intervertebral Disc Degeneration / veterinary
Citations
This article has been cited 12 times.- Poletto DL, Crowley JD, Tanglay O, Walsh WR, Pelletier MH. Preclinical in vivo animal models of intervertebral disc degeneration. Part 1: A systematic review. JOR Spine 2023 Mar;6(1):e1234.
- Bergmann W, de Lest CV, Plomp S, Vernooij JCM, Wijnberg ID, Back W, Gröne A, Delany MW, Caliskan N, Tryfonidou MA, Grinwis GCM. Intervertebral disc degeneration in warmblood horses: Histological and biochemical characterization. Vet Pathol 2022 Mar;59(2):284-298.
- Story MR, Nout-Lomas YS, Aboellail TA, Selberg KT, Barrett MF, Mcllwraith CW, Haussler KK. Dangerous Behavior and Intractable Axial Skeletal Pain in Performance Horses: A Possible Role for Ganglioneuritis (14 Cases; 2014-2019). Front Vet Sci 2021;8:734218.
- Spoormakers TJP, Veraa S, Graat EAM, van Weeren PR, Brommer H. A comparative study of breed differences in the anatomical configuration of the equine vertebral column. J Anat 2021 Oct;239(4):829-838.
- Story MR, Haussler KK, Nout-Lomas YS, Aboellail TA, Kawcak CE, Barrett MF, Frisbie DD, McIlwraith CW. Equine Cervical Pain and Dysfunction: Pathology, Diagnosis and Treatment. Animals (Basel) 2021 Feb 6;11(2).
- Mayaki AM, Abdul Razak IS, Adzahan NM, Mazlan M, Rasedee A. Clinical assessment and grading of back pain in horses. J Vet Sci 2020 Nov;21(6):e82.
- Veraa S, Scheffer CJW, Smeets DHM, de Bruin RB, Hoogendoorn AC, Vernooij JCM, Nielen M, Back W. Cervical disc width index is a reliable parameter and consistent in young growing Dutch Warmblood horses. Vet Radiol Ultrasound 2020 Oct 13;62(1):11-9.
- Aleman M, Berryhill E, Woolard K, Easton-Jones CA, Kozikowski-Nicholas T, Dyson S, Kilcoyne I. Sidewinder gait in horses. J Vet Intern Med 2020 Sep;34(5):2122-2131.
- Veraa S, Bergmann W, Wijnberg ID, Back W, Vernooij H, Nielen M, van den Belt AM. Equine cervical intervertebral disc degeneration is associated with location and MRI features. Vet Radiol Ultrasound 2019 Nov;60(6):696-706.
- Tian J, Wang Z, Liu R, Qiu X, He D, Shan N, Li Q, He G, Zhao B, Yuan J, Wang Y. GOLGB1 deficiency accelerates intervertebral disc degeneration by activating the MAPK pathway. Sci Rep 2026 Jan 17;16(1):5434.
- Domańska-Kruppa N, Wierzbicka M, Stefanik E. Advances in the Clinical Diagnostics to Equine Back Pain: A Review of Imaging and Functional Modalities. Animals (Basel) 2024 Feb 23;14(5).
- Murphy K, Lufkin T, Kraus P. Development and Degeneration of the Intervertebral Disc-Insights from Across Species. Vet Sci 2023 Aug 24;10(9).
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