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Home / Equine Research Bank / Equine Vet J / Intra-articular opioid analgesia is effective in reducing pa...
Equine veterinary journal2010; 42(5); 412-419; doi: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.2010.00077.x

Intra-articular opioid analgesia is effective in reducing pain and inflammation in an equine LPS induced synovitis model.

Abstract: Intra-articular administration of morphine as a local analgesic and anti-inflammatory drug is widely used in human medicine. In equids, little is known about its clinical analgesic and anti-inflammatory efficacy. Objective: To use an inflammatory orthopaedic pain model to investigate the analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of intra-articularly administered morphine as a new treatment modality in horses with acute arthritis. Methods: In a crossover study design, synovitis was induced in the left or right talocrural joint by means of intra-articular injection of 0.5 ng lipopolyssacharide (LPS). The effect of 120 mg morphine, intra-articularly administered at 1 h after induction of synovitis, was evaluated using both physiological and behavioural pain variables. Synovial fluid was sampled at 0, 4, 8, 28 and 52 h after induction of synovitis and analysed for total protein concentration, leucocyte count and for prostaglandin E(2), bradykinin and substance P concentrations by ELISA. Ranges of motion of metatarsophalangeal and talocrural joints were measured as kinematic variables with the horses walking and trotting on a treadmill under sound and lame conditions. Clinical lameness scores and several behavioural variables related to the perception of pain were obtained. Results: LPS injection caused marked transient synovitis, resulting in increased concentrations of inflammatory synovial fluid markers, clinical lameness, joint effusion and several behavioural changes, such as increased time spent recumbent, decreased limb loading at rest and decreased time spent eating silage. Intra-articular morphine resulted in a significant decrease in synovial white blood cell count, prostaglandin E(2) and bradykinin levels and improvement in clinical lameness, kinematic and behavioural parameters, compared to placebo treatment. Conclusions: Intra-articular morphine offers potent analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects in horses suffering from acute synovitis. Conclusions: Local administration of opioids may be useful for horses with acute inflammatory joint pain and offers possibilities for multimodal analgesic therapies without opioid-related systemic side effects.
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Publication Date: 2010-07-20 PubMed ID: 20636777DOI: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.2010.00077.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article
  • Randomized Controlled Trial

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 discusses the effective use of intra-articular morphine, a technique used in human medicine, as a local painkiller and anti-inflammatory agent for horses with acute arthritis. This study reveals the efficacy of the treatment through biochemical and behavioural changes observed in horses.

Objective and Background of the Study

  • The aim of this research was to explore the potential analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of intra-articular morphine on horses suffering from acute synovitis, a form of arthritis.
  • In equine medicine, the effectiveness of morphine as a local analgesic and anti-inflammatory drug has not been thoroughly studied. The researchers aimed to fill this knowledge gap.

Methodology

  • This scientific experiment was conducted with a crossover study design.
  • The inflammation was triggered in the horses’ talocrural joint by introducing 0.5 ng of lipopolysaccharide (LPS); thereafter, the impact of 120 mg morphine, injected into the inflamed part an hour after the initiation of synovitis, was evaluated.
  • The researchers measured the effects using both physiological and behavioral pain variables. They specifically tracked the quantity of total protein concentration, leucocyte count, and prostaglandin E(2), bradykinin, and substance P concentrations in the synovial fluid of the horses at different time intervals post-induction of synovitis.
  • In addition to this, they assessed the motion ranges in their metatarsophalangeal and talocrural joints as well as alterations in their eating habits and rest behaviour.

Outcomes

  • As a result of the LPS injection, transient synovitis transpired, leading to an abnormal increase in inflammatory markers in the synovial fluid, clinical lameness, joint effusion, and numerous behavioural deviations including increased resting time, diminished limb loading at rest and decreased feeding time.
  • However, the use of intra-articular morphine created a significant reduction in the synovial white blood cell count, prostaglandin E(2) and bradykinin level and improved clinical lameness, kinematic and behavioural parameters, compared to the placebo group.

Conclusions

  • The study concludes that intra-articular morphine can act effectively as a painkiller and anti-inflammatory agent in horses suffering from acute synovitis.
  • The researchers suggest that local administration of opioids can be beneficial for horses with acute inflammatory joint pain and provides an opportunity for multimodal analgesic therapies without systemic side effects induced by opioids.

Cite This Article

APA
van Loon JP, de Grauw JC, van Dierendonck M, L'ami JJ, Back W, van Weeren PR. (2010). Intra-articular opioid analgesia is effective in reducing pain and inflammation in an equine LPS induced synovitis model. Equine Vet J, 42(5), 412-419. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-3306.2010.00077.x

Publication

Equine veterinary journal
ISSN: 0425-1644
NlmUniqueID: 0173320
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 42
Issue: 5
Pages: 412-419

Researcher Affiliations

van Loon, J P A M
  • Department of Equine Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, The Netherlands. j.p.a.m.vanloon@uu.nl
de Grauw, J C
    van Dierendonck, M
      L'ami, J J
        Back, W
          van Weeren, P R

            MeSH Terms

            • Analgesics, Opioid / administration & dosage
            • Analgesics, Opioid / pharmacology
            • Animals
            • Bradykinin / analysis
            • Cross-Over Studies
            • Dinoprostone / analysis
            • Female
            • Horse Diseases / chemically induced
            • Horse Diseases / drug therapy
            • Horses
            • Inflammation / drug therapy
            • Inflammation / veterinary
            • Injections, Intra-Articular
            • Lipopolysaccharides / toxicity
            • Morphine / administration & dosage
            • Morphine / therapeutic use
            • Pain / drug therapy
            • Pain / veterinary
            • Proteins
            • Substance P / analysis
            • Synovial Fluid / chemistry
            • Synovial Fluid / cytology
            • Synovitis / chemically induced
            • Synovitis / drug therapy
            • Synovitis / veterinary

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