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Home / Equine Research Bank / J Vet Intern Med / Phenotypic, hormonal, and clinical characteristics of equine...
Journal of veterinary internal medicine2019; 33(3); 1456-1463; doi: 10.1111/jvim.15419

Phenotypic, hormonal, and clinical characteristics of equine endocrinopathic laminitis.

Abstract: Equine endocrinopathic laminitis is common and can be associated with an underlying endocrinopathy, such as equine metabolic syndrome (EMS), pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID), pasture consumption, or any combination of these factors. Objective: The aim of the study was to improve the risk assessment capabilities of clinicians, and to inform management strategies, for acute endocrinopathic laminitis by prospectively examining the phenotypic, hormonal, and clinical characteristics of the disease in a large cohort. Methods: Privately owned horses and ponies (n = 301) of any age, sex, or breed diagnosed with laminitis by a veterinarian. A history of laminitis was acceptable. Methods: This was a prospective cohort study. Veterinarians provided information on each case via an online questionnaire after informed consent from the animal's owner, and all data were de-identified before analysis. Serum insulin and plasma adrenocorticotrophic hormone concentrations were measured in each case. Results: Most cases were recruited in spring (109/301; 36.2%). Concurrent EMS and PPID resulted in higher basal insulin concentrations (49 [21.5-141]; P < .02) than if an animal had a single underlying cause for their laminitis. The insulin concentration was negatively correlated (r  = -0.38; P < .001) with the animal's height, being higher in ponies (33[10-14]; P < .001) than horses (9.5 [3-25.7]) and was positively correlated (r  = 0.12; P = .05) with their grade (severity) of laminitis. Conclusions: Horses and ponies with concurrent endocrinopathies have more marked hyperinsulinemia. Higher basal insulin concentrations were associated with more severe lameness.
© 2019 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.
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Publication Date: 2019-01-29 PubMed ID: 30697823PubMed Central: PMC6524085DOI: 10.1111/jvim.15419Google 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 research focuses on investigating the phenotypic, hormonal, and clinical characteristics of horses and ponies diagnosed with equine endocrinopathic laminitis. The study aims to enhance risk assessment for this condition and inform effective management strategies by analyzing data collected from a large sample of affected animals.

Study Methodology

  • The study involved a prospective cohort of 301 privately owned horses and ponies of all ages, sexes, and breeds diagnosed with laminitis by a veterinarian, including those with a history of the condition.
  • Data was collected via an online questionnaire filled out by veterinarians after obtaining owner consent. All information was de-identified before analysis to protect the privacy of the participants.
  • The research focused on measuring serum insulin and plasma adrenocorticotrophic hormone concentrations in each case to understand the hormonal aspects of the illness.

Research Findings

  • The recruitment of cases was mainly during the spring season, which accounted for about 36.2% of all cases.
  • The results indicated that horses and ponies with concurrent Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS) and Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID) had higher basal insulin concentrations (indicated by the higher median and interquartile range values) than those with any one of these endocrinopathies. This outcome suggests that dealing with multiple endocrine irregularities can exacerbate the disease, leading to more pronounced hyperinsulinemia (high levels of insulin in the blood).
  • There was a negative correlation between insulin concentration and the animal’s height, meaning taller animals had lower insulin levels. Consequently, ponies, typically shorter, had higher insulin concentrations than horses.
  • A positive correlation was found between the insulin concentration and the severity of laminitis, suggesting that higher insulin levels may be associated with more severe forms of the condition.

Conclusions Drawn

  • The data suggest that concurrent endocrine disorders bring about more pronounced hyperinsulinemia in equines affected with laminitis. This finding prompts the need for careful management of insulin levels in horses and ponies diagnosed with endocrine irregularities.
  • It also suggests that basal insulin concentrations are an important aspect to consider when assessing laminitis severity.

Cite This Article

APA
de Laat MA, Sillence MN, Reiche DB. (2019). Phenotypic, hormonal, and clinical characteristics of equine endocrinopathic laminitis. J Vet Intern Med, 33(3), 1456-1463. https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.15419

Publication

Journal of veterinary internal medicine
ISSN: 1939-1676
NlmUniqueID: 8708660
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 33
Issue: 3
Pages: 1456-1463

Researcher Affiliations

de Laat, Melody A
  • School of Earth, Environmental and Biological Sciences, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Sillence, Martin N
  • School of Earth, Environmental and Biological Sciences, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Reiche, Dania B
  • Animal Health, Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica GmbH, Ingelheim am Rhein, Germany.

MeSH Terms

  • Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / blood
  • Animals
  • Body Size
  • Cohort Studies
  • Diet / veterinary
  • Endocrine System Diseases / complications
  • Endocrine System Diseases / veterinary
  • Female
  • Foot Diseases / etiology
  • Foot Diseases / veterinary
  • Hoof and Claw
  • Horse Diseases / metabolism
  • Horse Diseases / pathology
  • Horses
  • Insulin / blood
  • Male
  • Metabolic Diseases / veterinary
  • Prospective Studies

Grant Funding

  • Boehringer Ingelheim

Conflict of Interest Statement

Authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Citations

This article has been cited 5 times.
  1. Akinniyi OO, Sackey AKB, Ochube GE, Mshelia PW, Musa FA, Elijah MO, Jolayemi KO. Occurrence of equine metabolic syndrome, clinical manifestations, and associated risk factors in Nigeria.. J Equine Sci 2023 Jun;34(2):29-35.
    doi: 10.1294/jes.34.29pubmed: 37405068google scholar: lookup
  2. Go YY, Hazard NW, Balasuriya UBR, Chapman AM, Fitton NS, Kenéz Á, Andrews FM. Clinical evaluation of the Immulite® 1000 chemiluminescent immunoassay for measurement of equine serum insulin.. Front Vet Sci 2023;10:1018230.
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  3. Ward AB, Stephen K, Argo CM, Harris PA, Watson CA, Neacsu M, Russell W, Grove-White DH, Morrison PK. COVID-19 impacts equine welfare: Policy implications for laminitis and obesity.. PLoS One 2021;16(5):e0252340.
    doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0252340pubmed: 34048478google scholar: lookup
  4. de Laat MA, Spence RJ, Sillence MN, Pollitt CC. An investigation of the equine epidermal growth factor system during hyperinsulinemic laminitis.. PLoS One 2019;14(12):e0225843.
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  5. de Laat MA, Reiche DB, Sillence MN, McGree JM. Incidence and risk factors for recurrence of endocrinopathic laminitis in horses.. J Vet Intern Med 2019 May;33(3):1473-1482.
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