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Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents and musculoskeletal injuries in Thoroughbred racehorses in Kentucky.
Abstract: Injuries sustained by horses during racing have been considered as an unavoidable part of horse racing. Many factors may be associated with the musculoskeletal injuries of Thoroughbred race horses. This study surveyed the amounts of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDs) in injured horse's biological system (plasma) at Kentucky racetracks from January 1, 1995 through December 31, 1996. During that period, there were 84 catastrophic cases (euthanized horses) and 126 noncatastrophic cases. Plasma concentrations of NSAIDs were determined by High Performance Liquid Chromatography in injured and control horses. The possible role of anti-inflammatory agents in musculoskeletal injuries of Thoroughbred race horses was investigated by comparing the apparent concentrations of NSAIDs in injured horses to concentrations in control horses. The plasma concentrations of phenylbutazone and flunixin were higher in injured horses than in control horses. Most injured and control horses did not have a detectable level of naproxen in their plasma samples. Further studies must be carried out to determine whether horses with higher plasma concentrations of NSAIDs have an altered risk of musculoskeletal injuries compared with other horses.
Publication Date: 2009-08-04 PubMed ID: 19646092DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2885.2008.01038.xGoogle 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
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
- Anti-inflammatory
- Biological Half-Life
- Clinical Pathology
- Clinical Study
- Disease Etiology
- Epidemiology
- Equine Health
- Flunixin Meglumine
- High-performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC)
- Horse Racing
- Injury
- Musculoskeletal System
- NSAID
- Pharmaceuticals
- Phenylbutazone
- Plasma
- Thoroughbreds
- Veterinary Care
- Veterinary Medicine
- Veterinary Research
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 study investigates the potential role of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDs) in musculoskeletal injuries in Thoroughbred racehorses in Kentucky. It finds that injured horses have higher plasma concentrations of certain NSAIDs than control horses, which suggest that high levels of NSAIDs might be associated with an increased risk of injuries in these animals.
Objective of the Study
- The main objective of this study was to investigate if there is a potential role of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDs) in causing musculoskeletal injuries in Thoroughbred racehorses. The researchers intended to achieve this by comparing plasma concentrations of NSAIDs in injured horses and control horses.
Methodology
- The researchers surveyed the amounts of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDs) in biological systems (plasma) of injured racehorses in Kentucky racetracks from January 1, 1995, through December 31, 1996. During this period, 84 catastrophic cases (euthanized horses) and 126 noncatastrophic cases were observed.
- The plasma concentrations of NSAIDs were determined by High Performance Liquid Chromatography in both injured and control horses.
Findings
- The results showed that the plasma concentrations of two NSAIDs – phenylbutazone and flunixin – were higher in injured horses than in control horses. The researchers did not find any detectable level of another NSAID, naproxen, in the plasma samples of most injured and control horses.
Implications of the Study
- The higher plasma concentrations of phenylbutazone and flunixin in injured horses compared to control horses indicate a possible link between high NSAID levels and the risk of musculoskeletal injuries in Thoroughbred racehorses. However, this research does not conclusively prove this link.
- Further studies are recommended to ascertain whether horses with higher plasma concentrations of NSAIDs indeed have an altered risk of musculoskeletal injuries compared to other horses.
Cite This Article
APA
Dirikolu L, Woods WE, Boyles J, Lehner AF, Harkins JD, Fisher M, Schaeffer DJ, Tobin T.
(2009).
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents and musculoskeletal injuries in Thoroughbred racehorses in Kentucky.
J Vet Pharmacol Ther, 32(3), 271-279.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2885.2008.01038.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Veterinary Bioscience, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61802, USA. dirikolu@uiuc.edu
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / adverse effects
- Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / blood
- Athletic Injuries / blood
- Athletic Injuries / epidemiology
- Athletic Injuries / veterinary
- Case-Control Studies
- Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / veterinary
- Euthanasia, Animal
- Horses / blood
- Horses / injuries
- Kentucky / epidemiology
- Musculoskeletal System / injuries
- Phenylbutazone / adverse effects
- Phenylbutazone / blood
- Risk Factors
- Sports
Citations
This article has been cited 3 times.- Roccaro M, Rinnovati R, Stucchi L, La Rocca F, Cascio G, Peli A. Survey on 9 years of anti-doping controls in horse races in Italy. Equine Vet J 2025 Nov;57(6):1592-1599.
- Hitchens PL, Hill AE, Stover SM. Relationship Between Historical Lameness, Medication Usage, Surgery, and Exercise With Catastrophic Musculoskeletal Injury in Racehorses. Front Vet Sci 2018;5:217.
- Bolwell C, Rogers C, Gee E, McIlwraith W. Epidemiology of Musculoskeletal Injury during Racing on New Zealand Racetracks 2005-2011. Animals (Basel) 2017 Aug 11;7(8).
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