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Plasma adrenocorticotropin, cortisol, and adrenocorticotropin/cortisol ratios in septic and normal-term foals.
Abstract: Little information exists on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in septic foals. Objective: The plasma concentrations of adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) and cortisol are expected to be higher in septic foals as compared to normal foals. The concentrations of hormones in septic foals also are expected to differ further depending upon survival. Methods: Twenty-eight control foals and 46 septic foals 11 or a positive blood culture. The control foals were age matched to the septic foals in the study. ACTH and cortisol concentrations were measured by a chemiluminescent immunoassay system. Results: Cortisol concentrations in control foals did not vary with age. Septic foals had significantly higher mean ACTH, cortisol, and ACTH/cortisol ratios than did normal foals. Within the septic foal group, 28 foals survived to discharge, and 18 were euthanized or died. The mean age was not significantly different between the septic surviving and nonsurviving foals. The mean ACTH/cortisol ratio was significantly higher in the septic nonsurviving foals as compared to the septic surviving foals. Conclusions: Septic foals had higher hormone concentrations as compared to normal foals, which is an expected endocrine response to critical illness. The increased ACTH/cortisol ratio in nonsurviving septic foals in comparison to surviving septic foals could indicate hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis dysfunction at the level of the adrenal gland in critically ill septic foals.
Publication Date: 2007-08-22 PubMed ID: 17708401DOI: 10.1892/0891-6640(2007)21[791:pacacr]2.0.co;2Google 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
Summary
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The research study focuses on hormonal alterations in septic foals (young horses), specifically the levels of adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) and cortisol. The findings suggest these hormones are significantly higher in septic foals compared to their healthier counterparts, and may serve as an indicator of disease severity and survival outcomes.
Objective and Expectation
- The paper studied the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis— a major neuroendocrine system — in septic (infectiously ill) foals, an area that hasn’t been extensively explored.
- The researchers anticipated that levels of ACTH and cortisol (hormones produced in response to stress) would be higher in the blood of septic foals compared to normal ones, and these concentrations could vary depending on whether the septic foals survived or not.
Methods
- The study sample included 28 normal foals (control group) and 46 septic foals, all less than two weeks old.
- Blood samples were collected from these groups, from both university research herds and from septic foals admitted to tertiary care centers.
- Sepsis was determined by a sepsis score of over 11 or a positive blood culture result.
- The hormone concentrations of ACTH and cortisol were measured through a chemiluminescent immunoassay system, a technique that uses the reaction of an immune system and its antigens to generate light and quantify the concentrations of these hormones in the blood.
Results
- In the control group, cortisol concentrations didn’t fluctuate with age.
- Septic foals, in contrast, exhibited significantly higher mean ACTH, cortisol, and ACTH/cortisol ratios compared to the control group.
- Within the septic group, survival rates didn’t vary with age. However, nonsurviving septic foals had significantly higher ACTH/cortisol ratios, suggesting a potential link between this ratio and foal survival outcomes.
Conclusions
- The researchers concluded that septic foals demonstrated higher hormone concentrations than normal ones, which align with the expected endocrine response to a critical illness.
- The higher ACTH/cortisol ratio in nonsurviving septic foals might suggest dysfunction in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, with the deficit potentially residing in the adrenal gland. As such, this ratio could serve as an indicator of disease severity and prognosis in critically ill septic foals.
Cite This Article
APA
Gold JR, Divers TJ, Barton MH, Lamb SV, Place NJ, Mohammed HO, Bain FT.
(2007).
Plasma adrenocorticotropin, cortisol, and adrenocorticotropin/cortisol ratios in septic and normal-term foals.
J Vet Intern Med, 21(4), 791-796.
https://doi.org/10.1892/0891-6640(2007)21[791:pacacr]2.0.co;2 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA. bemc@bendequine.com
MeSH Terms
- Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / blood
- Animals
- Animals, Newborn
- Horse Diseases / blood
- Horses
- Hydrocortisone / blood
- Sepsis / blood
- Sepsis / veterinary
Citations
This article has been cited 18 times.- Elder E, Wong D, Johnson K, Robertson H, Marner M, Dembek K. Assessment of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis function using a vasopressin stimulation test in neonatal foals. J Vet Intern Med 2023 Sep-Oct;37(5):1881-1888.
- Kikuchi M, Nagata SI, Ishige T, Minamijima Y, Hirota KI, Tozaki T, Kakoi H, Kizaki K. Evaluation of the effect of glucocorticoid treatment on adrenocortical functions by monitoring endogenous hydrocortisone in horses. J Vet Med Sci 2023 Jun 13;85(6):647-652.
- Johnson K, Peterson J, Kopper J, Dembek K. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis response to ovine corticotropin-releasing-hormone stimulation tests in healthy and hospitalized foals. J Vet Intern Med 2023 Jan;37(1):292-301.
- Lanci A, Mariella J, Ellero N, Faoro A, Peric T, Prandi A, Freccero F, Castagnetti C. Hair Cortisol and DHEA-S in Foals and Mares as a Retrospective Picture of Feto-Maternal Relationship under Physiological and Pathological Conditions. Animals (Basel) 2022 May 14;12(10).
- Lauteri E, Mariella J, Beccati F, Roelfsema E, Castagnetti C, Pepe M, Peric T, Barbato O, Montillo M, Rouge S, Freccero F. Adrenal Gland Ultrasonographic Measurements and Plasma Hormone Concentrations in Clinically Healthy Newborn Thoroughbred and Standardbred Foals. Animals (Basel) 2021 Jun 19;11(6).
- Pietrzak R, Rykowski P, Pasierb A, Bartoszewicz Z, Stakun M, Rykowska M, Karoń K, Rudnicka L, Czuwara J. Adrenocorticotropin/cortisol ratio - a marker of psoriasis severity. Postepy Dermatol Alergol 2020 Oct;37(5):746-750.
- Anderson MJ, Ibrahim AS, Cooper BR, Woolcock AD, Moore GE, Taylor SD. Effects of administration of ascorbic acid and low-dose hydrocortisone after infusion of sublethal doses of lipopolysaccharide to horses. J Vet Intern Med 2020 Nov;34(6):2710-2718.
- Gehlen H, Jaburg N, Merle R, Winter J. Can Endocrine Dysfunction Be Reliably Tested in Aged Horses That Are Experiencing Pain?. Animals (Basel) 2020 Aug 14;10(8).
- Stewart AJ, Hackett E, Bertin FR, Towns TJ. Cortisol and adrenocorticotropic hormone concentrations in horses with systemic inflammatory response syndrome. J Vet Intern Med 2019 Sep;33(5):2257-2266.
- Aleman M, McCue PM, Chigerwe M, Madigan JE. Plasma concentrations of steroid precursors, steroids, neuroactive steroids, and neurosteroids in healthy neonatal foals from birth to 7 days of age. J Vet Intern Med 2019 Sep;33(5):2286-2293.
- Dembek KA, Johnson LM, Timko KJ, Minuto JS, Hart KA, Barr BS, Toribio RE. Multiple adrenocortical steroid response to administration of exogenous adrenocorticotropic hormone to hospitalized foals. J Vet Intern Med 2019 Jul;33(4):1766-1774.
- Hoffman CJ, McKenzie HC 3rd, Furr MO, Desrochers A. Glucocorticoid receptor density and binding affinity in healthy horses and horses with systemic inflammatory response syndrome. J Vet Intern Med 2015 Mar-Apr;29(2):626-35.
- Toth B, Slovis NM, Constable PD, Taylor SD. Plasma adrenomedullin concentrations in critically ill neonatal foals. J Vet Intern Med 2014 Jul-Aug;28(4):1294-300.
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- Wong DM, Vo DT, Alcott CJ, Stewart AJ, Peterson AD, Sponseller BA, Hsu WH. Adrenocorticotropic hormone stimulation tests in healthy foals from birth to 12 weeks of age. Can J Vet Res 2009 Jan;73(1):65-72.
- Borghetti P, Saleri R, Mocchegiani E, Corradi A, Martelli P. Infection, immunity and the neuroendocrine response. Vet Immunol Immunopathol 2009 Aug 15;130(3-4):141-62.
- Ishimaru M, Kume K, Murase H, Sato F, Matsui A, Ohmura H, Taya K. Effect of birth month on endocrine function in Thoroughbred foals born in Hokkaido, the northern part of Japan. J Vet Med Sci 2025 Jul 7;87(7):804-815.
- Samuels AN, Kamr AM, Reed SM, Slovis NM, Hostnik LD, Burns TA, Toribio RE. Association of the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio with outcome in sick hospitalized neonatal foals. J Vet Intern Med 2024 Mar-Apr;38(2):1196-1206.
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