Is it the systemic inflammatory response syndrome or endotoxemia in horses with colic?
Abstract: Some veterinarians describe particularly sick horses or neonatal foals as being endotoxemic, whereas others refer to the same animals as having the systemic inflammatory response syndrome. This article reviews the basis for the use of each of these terms in equine practice, and highlights the mechanisms underlying the response of the horse's innate immune system to key structural components of the microorganisms that initiate these conditions, including how some of those responses differ from other species. Current approaches used to treat horses with these conditions are summarized, and caution advised on extrapolating findings from other species to the horse.
Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2014-06-04 PubMed ID: 25016495DOI: 10.1016/j.cveq.2014.04.003Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
- Review
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 paper delves into the illness terminologies, specifically ‘endotoxemia’ and ‘systemic inflammatory response syndrome’, used by veterinarians in equine practice. It further explores the responses of a horse’s innate immune system to certain microorganisms and highlights the different treatment methods currently used.
Understanding the Terms: Endotoxemia and Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome
- The study begins by acknowledging the varying terminologies used by veterinarians when referring to significantly ill horses or new-born foals. Some choose to use the term ‘endotoxemia’, while others prefer ‘systemic inflammatory response syndrome’.
- The author reviews the basis for choosing either term and implies that both terminological descriptions might indeed be referring to the same illness manifestation. The research attempts to break down the barriers of understanding for the sake of clarity and consensus.
The Innate Immune System Response in Horses
- The paper proceeds to elaborate on the mechanisms behind the response of a horse’s innate immune system. Specifically, it dissects how the immune system interacts with the key structural components of the microorganisms known to trigger these conditions in horses.
- The findings detail the complexities of the horse’s immune responses and how they might significantly differ from those of other species. This serves as a note of caution against making generalized conclusions about immune responses across different species.
Current Treatment Approaches for These Conditions in Horses
- The research also provides a summary of the current treatment strategies deployed for horses suffering from these conditions. This encompasses a variety of therapeutic approaches, reflecting the evolving nature of veterinary medicine.
- However, the article advises caution when extrapolating findings from one species to another, emphasizing that the translation of treatments or medicinal solutions may not always be practical or effective due to species-specific physiological differences.
Cite This Article
APA
Moore JN, Vandenplas ML.
(2014).
Is it the systemic inflammatory response syndrome or endotoxemia in horses with colic?
Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract, 30(2), 337-viii.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cveq.2014.04.003 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Large Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, 501 DW Brooks Drive, Athens, GA 30602, USA; Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, 501 DW Brooks Drive, Athens, GA 30602, USA. Electronic address: jmoore@uga.edu.
- Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, PO Box 334, Basseterre, Saint Kitts, West Indies.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Animals, Newborn
- Colic / diagnosis
- Colic / veterinary
- Diagnosis, Differential
- Endotoxemia / diagnosis
- Endotoxemia / veterinary
- Horse Diseases / diagnosis
- Horses
Citations
This article has been cited 22 times.- Blangy-Letheule A, Vergnaud A, Dupas T, Rozec B, Lauzier B, Leroux AA. Spontaneous Sepsis in Adult Horses: From Veterinary to Human Medicine Perspectives. Cells 2023 Mar 30;12(7).
- Mukhopadhyay A, Cook SR, SanMiguel P, Ekenstedt KJ, Taylor SD. TLR4 and MD2 variation among horses with differential TNFα baseline concentrations and response to intravenous lipopolysaccharide infusion. Sci Rep 2023 Jan 27;13(1):1486.
- Sanmartí J, Armengou L, Troya-Portillo L, Robles-Guirado JÁ, Bassols A, Ríos J, Jose-Cunilleras E. Plasma-Ionized Magnesium in Hospitalized Horses with Gastrointestinal Disorders and Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome. Animals (Basel) 2022 Jun 7;12(12).
- Nocera I, Bonelli F, Vitale V, Meucci V, Conte G, Jose-Cunilleras E, Gracia-Calvo LA, Sgorbini M. Evaluation of Plasmatic Procalcitonin in Healthy, and in Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS) Negative or Positive Colic Horses. Animals (Basel) 2021 Jul 6;11(7).
- Nocera I, Bonelli F, Meucci V, Rinnovati R, Spadari A, Intorre L, Pretti C, Sgorbini M. Evaluation of Protein Carbonyl Content in Healthy and Sick Hospitalized Horses. Front Vet Sci 2020;7:582886.
- Gugliandolo E, Crupi R, Biondi V, Licata P, Cuzzocrea S, Passantino A. Protective Effect of Silibinin on Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Inflammatory Responses in Equine Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells, an In Vitro Study. Animals (Basel) 2020 Nov 3;10(11).
- Battaglia F, Meucci V, Tognetti R, Bonelli F, Sgorbini M, Lubas G, Pretti C, Intorre L. Procalcitonin Detection in Veterinary Species: Investigation of Commercial ELISA Kits. Animals (Basel) 2020 Aug 26;10(9).
- Bauquier J, Tudor E, Bailey S. Effect of the p38 MAPK inhibitor doramapimod on the systemic inflammatory response to intravenous lipopolysaccharide in horses. J Vet Intern Med 2020 Sep;34(5):2109-2116.
- Ruggerone B, Paltrinieri S, Giordano A, Scavone D, Nocera I, Rinnovati R, Spadari A, Scacco L, Pratelli P, Sgorbini M. Paraoxonase-1 activity evaluation as a diagnostic and prognostic marker in horses and foals. J Vet Intern Med 2020 Mar;34(2):949-954.
- Sheats MK. A Comparative Review of Equine SIRS, Sepsis, and Neutrophils. Front Vet Sci 2019;6:69.
- Hay AN, Potter A, Kasmark L, Zhu J, Leeth CM. RAPID COMMUNICATION: TLR4 expressed but with reduced functionality on equine B lymphocytes. J Anim Sci 2019 Apr 29;97(5):2175-2180.
- Nomura M, Mizobe F, Kato T, Kuroda T, Urayama S, Muranaka M. Evaluating continuous blood coagulopathy in assessing the severity of acute colitis in Thoroughbred racehorses. J Equine Sci 2018 Sep;29(3):79-85.
- Urayama S, Arima D, Mizobe F, Shinzaki Y, Nomura M, Minamijima Y, Kusano K. Blood glucose is unlikely to be a prognostic biomarker in acute colitis with systemic inflammatory response syndrome in Thoroughbred racehorses. J Equine Sci 2018;29(1):15-19.
- Parkinson NJ, Buechner-Maxwell VA, Witonsky SG, Pleasant RS, Werre SR, Ahmed SA. Characterization of basal and lipopolysaccharide-induced microRNA expression in equine peripheral blood mononuclear cells using Next-Generation Sequencing. PLoS One 2017;12(5):e0177664.
- Roy MF, Kwong GP, Lambert J, Massie S, Lockhart S. Prognostic Value and Development of a Scoring System in Horses With Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome. J Vet Intern Med 2017 Mar;31(2):582-592.
- Bauquier JR, Forbes G, Nath L, Tudor E, Bailey SR. Plasma HMGB-1 and Nucleosome Concentrations in Horses with Colic and Healthy Horses. J Vet Intern Med 2016 Jan-Feb;30(1):260-8.
- Bonelli F, Meucci V, Divers TJ, Jose-Cunilleras E, Corazza M, Tognetti R, Guidi G, Intorre L, Sgorbini M. Plasma Procalcitonin Concentration in Healthy Horses and Horses Affected by Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome. J Vet Intern Med 2015 Nov-Dec;29(6):1689-91.
- Nocera I, Cingottini D, Di Franco C, Sala G, Bindi F, Spadari A, Rinnovati R, Vitale V, Jose-Cunilleras E, Sgorbini M. In-Depth Analysis of the Prognostic Factors Associated with Short-Term Outcome in Equine Colic Patients: Multicentric Retrospective Study. Animals (Basel) 2026 Feb 5;16(3).
- Meistro F, Rinnovati R, Blanc E, Berni P, Napoli S, Marcucci E, D'Angelo P, Ruggeri M, Spadari A, Gialletti R. Prognostic Significance of Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate for Survival in Equine Colic. Animals (Basel) 2026 Feb 3;16(3).
- Urayama S, Muko R, Muranaka M, Mita H, Ohta M, Matsuda H, Tanaka A. Differential effects of flunixin meglumine and meloxicam on TNF- α production in LPS-stimulated equine neutrophils in vitro. Vet Anim Sci 2025 Dec;30:100513.
- Bishop RC, Arrington JV, Wilkins PA, McCoy AM. Alterations in the Peritoneal Fluid Proteome of Horses with Colic Attributed to Ischemic and Non-Ischemic Intestinal Disease. Animals (Basel) 2025 May 30;15(11).
- Villalba-Orero M, Contreras-Aguilar MD, Cerón JJ, Fuentes-Romero B, Valero-González M, Martín-Cuervo M. Association between Eosinophil Count and Cortisol Concentrations in Equids Admitted in the Emergency Unit with Abdominal Pain. Animals (Basel) 2024 Jan 4;14(1).
Use Nutrition Calculator
Check if your horse's diet meets their nutrition requirements with our easy-to-use tool Check your horse's diet with our easy-to-use tool
Talk to a Nutritionist
Discuss your horse's feeding plan with our experts over a free phone consultation Discuss your horse's diet over a phone consultation
Submit Diet Evaluation
Get a customized feeding plan for your horse formulated by our equine nutritionists Get a custom feeding plan formulated by our nutritionists