Intragastric pH in critically ill neonatal foals and the effect of ranitidine.
Abstract: To characterize intragastric pH profiles in critically ill foals and determine whether administration of ranitidine altered pH profiles. Methods: Prospective observational study. Methods: 23 hospitalized neonatal foals < or = 4 days of age. Methods: Intragastric pH was measured continuously for up to 24 hours by use of an indwelling electrode and continuous data recording system. In 21 foals, ranitidine was administered IV. Results: 10 foals had predominantly or exclusively alkaline profiles, 10 had profiles typical of those reported for healthy foals, with periods of acidity (hourly mean pH < 5.0 at least once), and 3 had atypical profiles with periods of acidity. All 10 foals that had intragastric pH profiles typical of healthy foals survived, whereas only 2 foals with alkaline profiles survived, and none of the foals with atypical profiles survived. The effects of ranitidine administration could not be assessed in 13 foals because of a high baseline intragastric pH. In 7 of the remaining 9, ranitidine administration resulted in an alkalinizing response, but this response was often of blunted duration. Ranitidine administration did not appear to alter the intragastric pH profile in the remaining 2 foals. Conclusions: Results suggested that hospitalized critically ill foals often have intragastric pH profiles different from those reported for healthy foals and may respond differently to ranitidine administration than do healthy foals. Many critically ill foals have continuously alkaline intragastric pH profiles, questioning the need for prophylactic administration of ranitidine in all critically ill foals.
Publication Date: 2001-04-11 PubMed ID: 11294316DOI: 10.2460/javma.2001.218.907Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research assesses stomach pH levels in seriously ill young foals and checks for changes brought about by ranitidine, a medication generally used to reduce stomach acid. The study indicates that the pH profiles in these foals differ from those healthy, and ranitidine’s effects may vary. The high prevalence of constantly alkaline pH profiles also questions the necessity of preventative ranitidine use.
Research Objective and Methodology
- The objective of this study was to identify the gastric acidity patterns in critically unwell neonatal foals (young horses) and determine if ranitidine, a medication used to reduce stomach acid, impacted these profiles.
- For this prospective observational study, 23 hospitalised foals that were 4 days old or younger were selected. The acidity levels of the foals’ stomachs were monitored continuously for 24 hours using a fixed electrode and continuous data tracking system.
- Of the 23 foals, 21 were intravenously administered ranitidine.
Research Findings
- The foals showed differing gastric acidity profiles: 10 foals had predominantly or completely alkaline (non-acidic) profiles, 10 others had acidity profiles similar to healthy foals with periods of strong acidity, while the remaining 3 foals had atypical profiles with periods of acidity.
- The survival rate was much higher for foals with normal pH profiles, with all 10 surviving. However, only 2 foals with alkaline profiles survived, while none of the foals with atypical profiles survived.
- An attempt to evaluate the impact of ranitidine was unsuccessfull in 13 foals due to their high baseline stomach acidity. In 7 out of the remaining 10 foals, ranitidine resulted in a temporary increase in alkalinity. However, for the last two foals, ranitidine’s administration did not seem to alter the acidity profile.
Conclusions
- Critically ill foals often have gastric acidity profiles that differ from those of healthy ones. They may react differently to the administration of ranitidine.
- Many critically ill foals have persistently alkaline gastric acidity profiles. This calls into question the necessity of routinely administering ranitidine to all critically ill neonatal foals as a preventive measure.
Cite This Article
APA
Sanchez LC, Lester GD, Merritt AM.
(2001).
Intragastric pH in critically ill neonatal foals and the effect of ranitidine.
J Am Vet Med Assoc, 218(6), 907-911.
https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.2001.218.907 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville 32610, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Animals, Newborn
- Anti-Ulcer Agents / administration & dosage
- Anti-Ulcer Agents / pharmacology
- Critical Illness / therapy
- Female
- Fluid Therapy / veterinary
- Gastric Acidity Determination / veterinary
- Gastric Mucosa / metabolism
- Horse Diseases / drug therapy
- Horses
- Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
- Male
- Prospective Studies
- Ranitidine / administration & dosage
- Ranitidine / pharmacology
- Stomach / drug effects
- Time Factors
Citations
This article has been cited 2 times.- Wise JC, Raidal SL, Wilkes EJA, Hughes KJ. Intragastric pH of foals admitted to the intensive care unit. J Vet Intern Med 2020 Nov;34(6):2719-2726.
- Hodgson E, Thirouin M, Narayanan P, Romano TR, Wise J, Bond S. A novel placement method of a calibration-free pH capsule for continuous wireless measurement of intragastric pH in horses. J Vet Intern Med 2025 Jan-Feb;39(1):e17273.
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