Randomized, controlled study of inhaled fluticasone propionate, oral administration of prednisone, and environmental management of horses with recurrent airway obstruction.
Abstract: To determine whether administration of glucocorticoids provides additional benefits to environmental management of horses with recurrent airway obstruction (RAO). Methods: 28 horses with RAO. Methods: Horses were classified as having mild, moderate, or severe RAO. Within each category, horses were randomly assigned to receive inhaled fluticasone propionate, inhaled control substance, or oral administration of prednisone. During the 4-week study, horses were maintained outdoors and fed a pelleted feed. Clinical scores, pulmonary function, results of cytologic examination of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), and adrenal gland function were determined before and 2 and 4 weeks after initiation of treatment. Results: Clinical score and pulmonary function of all RAO-affected horses improved during the treatment period. After 4 weeks, clinical scores and pulmonary function of horses treated with a glucocorticoid were not different from those for the control treatment. In horses with severe RAO, treatment with fluticasone for 2 weeks resulted in significantly greater improvement in pulmonary function, compared with pulmonary function after treatment with prednisone or the control substance. Treatment with a glucocorticoid for 4 weeks and a low-dust environment did not have any effect on cellular content of BALF Treatment with prednisone for 2 weeks resulted in a significant decrease in serum cortisol concentration, compared with concentrations after administration of fluticasone or the control substance. Conclusions: Environmental management is the most important factor in the treatment of horses with RAO. Early treatment with inhaled fluticasone can help accelerate recovery of horses with severe RAO.
Publication Date: 2005-11-09 PubMed ID: 16273895DOI: 10.2460/ajvr.2005.66.1665Google 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.
- Comparative Study
- Journal Article
- Randomized Controlled Trial
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
- Adrenal
- Bronchoalveolar Lavage
- Clinical Examination
- Clinical Findings
- Clinical Pathology
- Clinical Signs
- Clinical Study
- Corticosteroids
- Disease Treatment
- Environmental Stressors
- Equine Health
- Equine Medicine
- Horse Management
- Horses
- Oral Administration
- Pulmonary Health
- Recurrent Airway Obstruction
- Respiratory Disease
- Veterinary Care
- Veterinary Medicine
- Veterinary Practice
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 investigates whether administering glucocorticoids improves the environmental management of horses suffering from Recurrent Airway Obstruction (RAO). The major findings are that environmental management is the primary factor in RAO treatment. However, early treatment with inhaled fluticasone can expedite recovery in severe RAO cases.
Research Methodology
- The researchers selected 28 horses suffering from RAO. These horses were classified into categories of mild, moderate, or severe RAO.
- The horses were then randomly assigned to receive treatments: inhaled fluticasone propionate, an inhaled control substance, or oral administration of prednisone.
- Throughout the 4-week study period, the horses were maintained outdoors and given pelleted feed.
- Various pre and post-treatment tests were conducted. These included evaluating clinical scores, pulmonary function, cytologic examination of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), and adrenal gland function.
Findings
- All horses, regardless of the severity of RAO, showed improvement in their clinical score and pulmonary function over the treatment period.
- After four weeks, there was no significant difference in clinical scores and pulmonary function between horses treated with glucocorticoid and those who received a placebo.
- In severe RAO cases, the administration of inhaled fluticasone for two weeks led to a significantly greater improvement in pulmonary function compared to treatment with prednisone or the control substance.
- The use of a glucocorticoid for four weeks in a low-dust environment did not have any effect on the cellular content of BALF.
- Providing prednisone for two weeks led to a significant decrease in serum cortisol concentration, compared with levels after administering fluticasone or the control substance.
Conclusion
- The study concludes that environmental management is the most critical factor in the treatment of horses with RAO. Simply put, keeping the environment dust-free is more vital than medication.
- In severe RAO cases, early inhalation therapy with fluticasone can help speed up the horse’s recovery process.
Cite This Article
APA
Couëtil LL, Chilcoat CD, DeNicola DB, Clark SP, Glickman NW, Glickman LT.
(2005).
Randomized, controlled study of inhaled fluticasone propionate, oral administration of prednisone, and environmental management of horses with recurrent airway obstruction.
Am J Vet Res, 66(10), 1665-1674.
https://doi.org/10.2460/ajvr.2005.66.1665 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Analysis of Variance
- Androstadienes / therapeutic use
- Animals
- Bronchoalveolar Lavage / veterinary
- Environment
- Fluticasone
- Horse Diseases / drug therapy
- Horses
- Hydrocortisone / blood
- Prednisone / therapeutic use
- Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / drug therapy
- Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / veterinary
- Respiratory Function Tests / veterinary
Citations
This article has been cited 10 times.- Klier J, Fuchs S, Winter G, Gehlen H. Inhalative Nanoparticulate CpG Immunotherapy in Severe Equine Asthma: An Innovative Therapeutic Concept and Potential Animal Model for Human Asthma Treatment.. Animals (Basel) 2022 Aug 16;12(16).
- Mainguy-Seers S, Lavoie JP. Glucocorticoid treatment in horses with asthma: A narrative review.. J Vet Intern Med 2021 Jul;35(4):2045-2057.
- Pirie RS, Mueller HW, Engel O, Albrecht B, von Salis-Soglio M. Inhaled ciclesonide is efficacious and well tolerated in the treatment of severe equine asthma in a large prospective European clinical trial.. Equine Vet J 2021 Nov;53(6):1094-1104.
- Bond SL, Greco-Otto P, MacLeod J, Galezowski A, Bayly W, Léguillette R. Efficacy of dexamethasone, salbutamol, and reduced respirable particulate concentration on aerobic capacity in horses with smoke-induced mild asthma.. J Vet Intern Med 2020 Mar;34(2):979-985.
- White S, Moore-Colyer M, Marti E, Coüetil L, Hannant D, Richard EA, Alcocer M. Development of a comprehensive protein microarray for immunoglobulin E profiling in horses with severe asthma.. J Vet Intern Med 2019 Sep;33(5):2327-2335.
- Bond S, Léguillette R, Richard EA, Couetil L, Lavoie JP, Martin JG, Pirie RS. Equine asthma: Integrative biologic relevance of a recently proposed nomenclature.. J Vet Intern Med 2018 Nov;32(6):2088-2098.
- Lavoie JP, Leclere M, Rodrigues N, Lemos KR, Bourzac C, Lefebvre-Lavoie J, Beauchamp G, Albrecht B. Efficacy of inhaled budesonide for the treatment of severe equine asthma.. Equine Vet J 2019 May;51(3):401-407.
- Léguillette R, Tohver T, Bond SL, Nicol JA, McDonald KJ. Effect of Dexamethasone and Fluticasone on Airway Hyperresponsiveness in Horses With Inflammatory Airway Disease.. J Vet Intern Med 2017 Jul;31(4):1193-1201.
- Couëtil LL, Cardwell JM, Gerber V, Lavoie JP, Léguillette R, Richard EA. Inflammatory Airway Disease of Horses--Revised Consensus Statement.. J Vet Intern Med 2016 Mar-Apr;30(2):503-15.
- Nogradi N, Couetil LL, Messick J, Stochelski MA, Burgess JR. Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation provides an additional benefit to a low-dust diet in the management of horses with chronic lower airway inflammatory disease.. J Vet Intern Med 2015 Jan;29(1):299-306.
Use Nutrition Calculator
Check if your horse's diet meets their nutrition requirements with our easy-to-use tool Check your horse's diet with our easy-to-use tool
Talk to a Nutritionist
Discuss your horse's feeding plan with our experts over a free phone consultation Discuss your horse's diet over a phone consultation
Submit Diet Evaluation
Get a customized feeding plan for your horse formulated by our equine nutritionists Get a custom feeding plan formulated by our nutritionists
