Prevalence and Progression of Resting ACTH, Insulin and Adiponectin Values as Indicators of Suspected Endocrine Diseases in Sport Horses and Ponies Compared to Non-Sport Horses, Ponies and Donkeys.
Abstract: Prevalence of endocrine disease in sport horses has been sparsely reported. They often compete well into their teenage years; thus, diagnosis and control of endocrine disease could be important to maintain performance and optimise health and welfare. The aim was to compare the prevalence of pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID), insulin dysregulation (ID) and metabolic obesity between sport and non-sport type breeds and assess disease progression. Blood samples submitted for plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), serum insulin or adiponectin were included in this study. Horses were grouped according to their breed into sport horses, which are typically used for athletic purposes, and non-sport horses, which are less-athletic breeds typically used for leisure. Cases included 1365 non-sport horse initial samples with 1850 non-sport horse follow-up samples and 1022 sport horse initial samples with 1081 sport horse follow-up samples. PPID and metabolic obesity were found to be as prevalent in the sport horse population, but non-sport horses were more likely to have ID. Upon follow up examination PPID was more prevalent with higher median ACTH in sport horses. This was also true of metabolic obesity in sport horses at follow-up, although median adiponectin was higher, perhaps indicating that the population is less severely affected than non-sport horses. Screening for endocrinopathies should be considered in sport horses presenting with poor performance.
Publication Date: 2025-05-01 PubMed ID: 40362130DOI: 10.3390/ani15091316Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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This study assessed whether sport horses face a higher probability of issues in their endocrine systems compared to non-sport horses, and how these diseases can progress over time. The focus was on pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID), insulin dysregulation (ID), and metabolic obesity. It was found that sport horses have the same prevalence of PPID and metabolic obesity as non-sport horses, but the latter are more likely to have insulin dysregulation. However, on follow-up assessments, PPID and metabolic obesity were found to be more common in sport horses.
Study Purpose and Methodology
- The motivation behind the research was to understand prevalence and progression of endocrine diseases in sport horses. Such knowledge is crucial due to the prolonged active years of sport horses, and their need for optimal health to maintain performance.
- The study compared the prevalence of pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID), insulin dysregulation (ID), and metabolic obesity between sport and non-sport horses. The breed was the key determinant for identifying a horse as a sport horse or a non-sport horse.
- For the research, blood samples from different horses were required. The samples were analyzed for adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), serum insulin, or adiponectin levels.
Key Results
- In the initial surveys, sport horses showed similar instances of PPID and metabolic obesity as non-sport horses. Interestingly, non-sport horses had more cases of insulin dysregulation.
- Upon follow-up, sport horses demonstrated more instances of PPID and metabolic obesity. These horses exhibited a higher median ACTH, signifying increased PPID prevalence. While they also displayed more cases of metabolic obesity, they had higher median adiponectin, perhaps indicating that they suffer less severely from this condition than non-sport horses.
Implications of Results
- Based on these findings, it might be important to routinely screen sport horses for potential endocrine disorders, considering their increased prevalence in the follow-up study.
- The results highlight the importance of understanding health issues unique to sport horses. Early detection and management of such conditions could improve performance and longevity of these horses.
Cite This Article
APA
Davis EL, Wood AD, Potier JFN.
(2025).
Prevalence and Progression of Resting ACTH, Insulin and Adiponectin Values as Indicators of Suspected Endocrine Diseases in Sport Horses and Ponies Compared to Non-Sport Horses, Ponies and Donkeys.
Animals (Basel), 15(9), 1316.
https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15091316 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Rossdales Equine Hospital and Diagnostics Centre, Cotton End Road, Exning, Newmarket CB8 7NN, Suffolk, UK.
- Liphook Equine Hospital, Forest Mere, Liphook GU30 7JG, Hampshire, UK.
- Liphook Equine Hospital, Forest Mere, Liphook GU30 7JG, Hampshire, UK.
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