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Home / Equine Research Bank / Animals (Basel) / Respiratory Rate Recovery After Submaximal Lunging Exercise ...
Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2025; 15(5); doi: 10.3390/ani15050713

Respiratory Rate Recovery After Submaximal Lunging Exercise Is Delayed in Asthmatic Horses with Neutrophilic Airway Inflammation.

Abstract: Equine asthma is a common cause of poor performance, but little is known about its impact on submaximal exercise. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of equine asthma and potential confounding factors on recovery of respiratory rate (RR) and heart rate (HR) after a lunging exercise test. Thirty-seven horses completed a standardized 15 min lunging exercise including HR and RR recording pre- and up to 30 min post-exercise and venous blood lactate measurement. Endoscopy was performed and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid cytology was used to categorize horses as controls or asthmatics. In the univariate analyses, asthmatic horses (n = 21) showed prolonged RR recovery (OR 52.25, 95% CI 5.17-528.28, p = 0.001) and took more than 15 min to return to pre-exercise levels. Prolonged recovery was associated with bronchoalveolar lavage fluid neutrophilia (OR 1.14, 95% CI 1.01-1.29, p = 0.04) and also with trot velocity (OR 17.32, 95% CI 1.23-244.15, p = 0.03). HR recovery increased with higher training level (OR 0.14, 95% CI 0.02-0.83, p = 0.03) and decreased with age (OR 1.20, 95% CI 1.03-1.40, p = 0.02). RR recovery after the submaximal lunging exercise could offer a practical test for functional deficits associated with equine asthma.
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Publication Date: 2025-03-02 PubMed ID: 40075996PubMed Central: PMC11899412DOI: 10.3390/ani15050713Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

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 research demonstrates the effect of asthma on horses’ recovery, measured through respiratory rate and heart rate, after a submaximal lunging exercise. It proves that asthmatic horses with neutrophilic airway inflammation show a delayed recovery.

Objective of the Study

  • The main objective of this study was to examine the effects of equine asthma on submaximal exercise. The factors taken into account were the restoration of the respiratory rate (RR) and the heart rate (HR) after a lunging exercise test.

Methodology

  • Thirty-seven horses were subjected to a standardized 15-minute lunging exercise. The heart rate and respiratory rate were recorded pre- and up to 30 minutes post-exercise. Venous blood lactate measurement was also taken.
  • Endoscopy was performed, and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid cytology was used to categorize horses as controls or asthmatics.

Findings

  • In the univariate analyses, it was found that asthmatic horses showed prolonged RR recovery. They took more than 15 minutes to return to pre-exercise levels.
  • The prolongation in recovery was associated with bronchoalveolar lavage fluid neutrophilia and also with the trot velocity.
  • Horses’ HR recovery was found to increase with higher training level and decrease with age.

Conclusion

  • The results of this study suggest that RR recovery measurement after the submaximal lunging exercise could be a functional test to identify deficits associated with equine asthma.

Cite This Article

APA
Röschmann J, Naef J, Doras C, Gerber V. (2025). Respiratory Rate Recovery After Submaximal Lunging Exercise Is Delayed in Asthmatic Horses with Neutrophilic Airway Inflammation. Animals (Basel), 15(5). https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15050713

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 15
Issue: 5

Researcher Affiliations

Röschmann, Julia
  • Swiss Institute of Equine Medicine (ISME), Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Vetsuisse-Faculty, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.
Naef, Jan
  • Swiss Institute of Equine Medicine (ISME), Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Vetsuisse-Faculty, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.
Doras, Camille
  • Veterinary Public Health Institute (VPHI), Vetsuisse-Faculty, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.
Gerber, Vinzenz
  • Swiss Institute of Equine Medicine (ISME), Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Vetsuisse-Faculty, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.

Grant Funding

  • ISMEquine Research No. 33-890 / Internal Research Fund of the Swiss Institute of Equine Medicine, Bern, Switzerland

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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