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Home / Equine Research Bank / Vet J / Monitoring acute equine visceral pain with the Equine Utrech...
Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)2015; 206(3); 356-364; doi: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2015.08.023

Monitoring acute equine visceral pain with the Equine Utrecht University Scale for Composite Pain Assessment (EQUUS-COMPASS) and the Equine Utrecht University Scale for Facial Assessment of Pain (EQUUS-FAP): A scale-construction study.

Abstract: Although recognition of equine pain has been studied extensively over the past decades there is still need for improvement in objective identification of pain in horses with acute colic. This study describes scale construction and clinical applicability of the Equine Utrecht University Scale for Composite Pain Assessment (EQUUS-COMPASS) and the Equine Utrecht University Scale for Facial Assessment of Pain (EQUUS-FAP) in horses with acute colic. A cohort follow-up study was performed using 50 adult horses (n = 25 with acute colic, n = 25 controls). Composite pain scores were assessed by direct observations, Visual Analog Scale (VAS) scores were assessed from video clips. Colic patients were assessed at arrival, and on the first and second mornings after arrival. Both the EQUUS-COMPASS and EQUUS-FAP scores showed high inter-observer reliability (ICC = 0.98 for EQUUS-COMPASS, ICC = 0.93 for EQUUS-FAP, P <0.001), while a moderate inter-observer reliability for the VAS scores was found (ICC = 0.63, P <0.001). The cut-off value for differentiation between healthy and colic horses for the EQUUS-COMPASS was 5, and for differentiation between conservatively treated and surgically treated or euthanased patients it was 11. For the EQUUS-FAP, cut-off values were 4 and 6, respectively. Internal sensitivity and specificity were good for both EQUUS-COMPASS (sensitivity 95.8%, specificity 84.0%) and EQUUS-FAP (sensitivity 87.5%, specificity 88.0%). The use of the EQUUS-COMPASS and EQUUS-FAP enabled repeated and objective scoring of pain in horses with acute colic. A follow-up study with new patients and control animals will be performed to further validate the constructed scales that are described in this study.
Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Publication Date: 2015-08-28 PubMed ID: 26526526DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2015.08.023Google Scholar: Lookup
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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.

This study presents the development and application of two new pain assessment scales—Equine Utrecht University Scale for Composite Pain Assessment (EQUUS-COMPASS) and the Equine Utrecht University Scale for Facial Assessment of Pain (EQUUS-FAP)—for better identification of pain in horses suffering from acute colic.

Study Design and Procedure

  • The researchers conducted a cohort follow-up study with 50 adult horses, half of whom were experiencing acute colic and the other half served as healthy controls.
  • The EQUUS-COMPASS and EQUUS-FAP pain assessment scales were created and applied to assess and track the pain levels of the horses with acute colic.
  • The assessments took place upon the horses’ arrival at the study site, and then subsequently on the first and second mornings following arrival.
  • A Visual Analog Scale (VAS) was used as a parallel method for pain assessment, with scores derived from video clip evaluations.

Results and Findings

  • Both the newly-developed EQUUS-COMPASS and EQUUS-FAP scales demonstrated strong inter-observer reliability—with reliability scores of 0.98 and 0.93 respectively—indicating consistent interpretation of the assessment results among different observers.
  • The Visual Analog Scale showed a moderate reliability score of 0.63.
  • The study identified a cut-off (threshold) value that could distinguish between healthy and colic horses. For the EQUUS-COMPASS scale, this cut-off was 5, while for the EQUUS-FAP scale, it was 4. These scales were also able to distinguish between horses treated conservatively and those that required surgery or euthanasia— with cut-off values of 11 and 6 respectively.

Sensitivity and Specificity of the Pain Assessment Scales

  • Both scales demonstrated strong internal sensitivity and specificity. The EQUUS-COMPASS showed 95.8% sensitivity (ability to correctly identify horses with pain) and 84.0% specificity (ability to correctly identify horses without pain). The EQUUS-FAP showed 87.5% sensitivity and 88.0% specificity.

Conclusions and Future Directions

  • These findings suggest that the EQUUS-COMPASS and EQUUS-FAP scales might be effective tools for repeated and objective pain assessment in horses with acute colic.
  • The research team plans to conduct follow-up studies with a new set of patient and control animals to further validate the performance and utility of these tools.

Cite This Article

APA
van Loon JP, Van Dierendonck MC. (2015). Monitoring acute equine visceral pain with the Equine Utrecht University Scale for Composite Pain Assessment (EQUUS-COMPASS) and the Equine Utrecht University Scale for Facial Assessment of Pain (EQUUS-FAP): A scale-construction study. Vet J, 206(3), 356-364. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tvjl.2015.08.023

Publication

Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)
ISSN: 1532-2971
NlmUniqueID: 9706281
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 206
Issue: 3
Pages: 356-364

Researcher Affiliations

van Loon, Johannes P A M
  • Department of Equine Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 114, NL-3584 CM Utrecht, The Netherlands. Electronic address: j.p.a.m.vanloon@uu.nl.
Van Dierendonck, Machteld C
  • Department of Equine Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 114, NL-3584 CM Utrecht, The Netherlands; Veterinary Faculty Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Ghent, Belgium; Equus Research and Therapy, Tolnegenweg 39, 3776PT Stroe, The Netherlands.

MeSH Terms

  • Acute Disease
  • Age Factors
  • Animals
  • Colic / physiopathology
  • Colic / veterinary
  • Face
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Horse Diseases / diagnosis
  • Horses
  • Male
  • Observer Variation
  • Pain Measurement / methods
  • Pain Measurement / veterinary
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Sex Factors
  • Visceral Pain / diagnosis
  • Visceral Pain / etiology
  • Visceral Pain / veterinary

Citations

This article has been cited 48 times.
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