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Home / Equine Research Bank / Front Vet Sci / Periodontal structures in horses with pituitary pars interme...
Frontiers in veterinary science2023; 10; 1114445; doi: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1114445

Periodontal structures in horses with pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction: A histological evaluation.

Abstract: Pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID) and dental disorders are of major concern in horses older than 15 years. Although PPID in geriatric horses and dental disorders in all age groups are well described, a connection between this endocrine disease and pathological changes in equine dental structures has not yet been investigated. In humans, periodontitis is considered to be a complication of systemic diseases like diabetes mellitus type 2, obesity and various conditions leading to an impaired immune response. In PPID, cross links to insulin and immune dysregulations are proven. The aim of this study was to compare histological findings of the gingiva and the sub gingival periodontal ligament of PPID affected horses with control horses. Unassigned: In a case-control morphometric descriptive study, 145 dental locations of 10 PPID affected horses (27.3 ± 2.06 years) were compared with 147 dental locations of 10 controls (21.4 ± 4.12 years). Histological parameters were leukocyte infiltration, keratinization of gingival epithelium, blood vessel supply of the periodontium and structure of cementum. Unassigned: The distribution and localization of gingival leukocyte infiltrations (LI) in PPID affected horses was more often multifocal to coalescing ( = 0.002) and reached into deeper parts of the periodontium, sometimes down to the sub gingival periodontal ligament (PDL). Aged animals of both groups showed higher prevalence (PPID: OR 1.66; controls: OR 1.15) for severe leukocyte infiltration in the PDL. PPID was not significantly associated with increased LI. The cementum bordering the soft tissue in interdental locations showed four times more irregularities in PPID affected horses than in controls which predisposes for interdental food impaction and periodontal diseases. Unassigned: In summary, multifocal to coalescing leukocytes and irregular cementum are seen more often in PPID than in controls - however our findings mainly reflect an association of older age with periodontal disease.
Copyright © 2023 Zapf, Fey, Büttner, Gröf and Staszyk.
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Publication Date: 2023-01-17 PubMed ID: 36733635PubMed Central: PMC9887139DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1114445Google 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.

The study investigates a possible connection between an endocrine disease in horses, called pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID), and changes in the dental structures of these animals. The research compares histological findings from the gum tissues and underlying periodontal ligament of PPID affected horses with those of healthy control horses. No significant association between PPID and increased leukocyte infiltration was found. However, four times more irregularities were found in the cementum, which borders the soft tissue in interdental locations, in PPID affected horses than in controls.

Objective and Scope of the Study

  • The study explores a possible link between Pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID), a common endocrine disorder in older horses, and changes in their dental structures.
  • It examines histological samples from the gum tissue and underlying periodontal ligament of 10 horses affected with PPID compared with those of 10 healthy control horses.
  • The specific histological parameters examined include leukocyte infiltration, keratinization of gingival epithelium, blood vessel supply of the periodontium, and the structure of cementum.

Findings and Observations

  • Higher prevalence of leukocyte infiltration, which is an immune response, was observed in the periodontal ligament of older horses in both PPID affected and control groups.
  • The location and distribution of leukocyte infiltrations in horses affected by PPID were often more multifocal to coalescing, reaching deeper parts of the periodontium, extending to the underlying periodontal ligament.
  • Irregularities in the cementum, a hard tissue that covers the root of the tooth, were notably higher (four times more) in PPID affected horses. This irregularity is a potential risk factor for interdental food impaction and periodontal diseases.

Conclusions

  • The findings did not show a significant association between PPID and an increase in leukocyte infiltration, which contradicts expectations drawn from human studies.
  • However, greater irregularities were found in the cementum of PPID affected horses, causing a predisposition for interdental food impaction and periodontal diseases. This suggests a possible link between PPID and dental health.
  • The researchers posited that these observed changes may be primarily an effect of ageing rather than PPID-related.

Cite This Article

APA
Zapf AM, Fey K, Büttner K, Gröf M, Staszyk C. (2023). Periodontal structures in horses with pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction: A histological evaluation. Front Vet Sci, 10, 1114445. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2023.1114445

Publication

Frontiers in veterinary science
ISSN: 2297-1769
NlmUniqueID: 101666658
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 10
Pages: 1114445
PII: 1114445

Researcher Affiliations

Zapf, Anne Maria
  • Equine Clinic, Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Justus-Liebig-University, Giessen, Germany.
Fey, Kerstin
  • Equine Clinic, Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Justus-Liebig-University, Giessen, Germany.
Büttner, Kathrin
  • Unit for Biomathematics and Data Processing, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Justus-Liebig-University, Giessen, Germany.
Gröf, Manuela
  • Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Veterinary Pathology, Justus-Liebig-University, Giessen, Germany.
Staszyk, Carsten
  • Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Veterinary-Anatomy, Histology, and Embryology, Justus-Liebig-University, Giessen, Germany.

Conflict of Interest Statement

KF has a consultancy agreement with Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica. The remaining authors declares that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

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Citations

This article has been cited 1 times.
  1. Barik B, Chawla S, Satapathy BS, Pattanik SK, Kumar JA, Al-Farraj S, Pattnaik G, Sillanpää M. Insights into periodontal disease: comparative analysis of animal models. Front Dent Med 2025;6:1560101.
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