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Veterinary sciences2022; 9(10); 545; doi: 10.3390/vetsci9100545

Retrospective Study on Risk Factors and Short-Term Outcome of Horses Referred for Colic from 2016 to 2022.

Abstract: (1) Background: colic syndrome is a multifactorial life-threatening condition in equids. Awareness of predisposing and prognostic indicators is useful to adequately inform the owner of the outcome and plan the best treatment. The aim of the study was to identify the variables associated with short-term survival in a cohort of horses referred for colic to a veterinary teaching hospital; (2) Methods: medical records of horses referred for colic from 2016 to 2022 were retrospectively reviewed. Univariate and multivariate regression models were built to assess the odds ratios of discharge from the hospital, both on the whole sample and in those patients undergoing surgery; (3) Conclusions: Month, time of admission, cardiovascular variables (heart rate on admission and after 3-6 h, packed cell volume, capillary refill time, and mucosal membranes), and presence of gastric reflux were significantly associated with discharge in the univariate regression in all horses and in those surgically treated. In the multivariate regression model, heart rate, packed cell volume, and capillary refill time showed significant association with the outcome in the whole sample. Although comparison between this study and previous studies is difficult due to the number and type of variables included, cardiovascular variables and markers of hypovolemia were also shown to be associated with outcome.
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Publication Date: 2022-10-03 PubMed ID: 36288158PubMed Central: PMC9607141DOI: 10.3390/vetsci9100545Google 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.

The research presents a retrospective study on the risk factors contributing to colic syndrome in horses and the short-term results from treatments, by examining medical records of affected horses from a veterinary teaching hospital between 2016 and 2022.

Research Purpose

  • The research was primarily aimed at uncovering variables that influence short-term survival rates in horses diagnosed with colic, referred to a particular veterinary teaching hospital. Identification of such variables would provide useful predictive indicators which could help in constructing an effective treatment plan, as well as adequately inform horse owners regarding the likely outcomes.

Methodology

  • The study adopted a retrospective technique where the medical records of horses referred for colic between 2016 to 2022 were examined. The study created both univariate and multivariate regression models to estimate the odds ratios of hospital discharge for the sample in its entirety and the patients who underwent surgery.

Findings

  • Significant findings in this study include the discovery that several factors were statistically associated with hospital discharge in the univariate regression model, both in the overall cohort and in surgically treated horses. These factors included month; time of admission; cardiovascular variables such as heart rate at admission and 3-6 hours post-admission, packed cell volume, capillary refill time, and mucosal membranes; and the presence of gastric reflux.
  • In the multivariate regression model, key cardiovascular variables, namely heart rate, packed cell volume, and capillary refill time, demonstrated a significant association with the outcome across the entire sample.

Conclusion

  • While comparing the results of this study with previous ones is challenging due to differences in the variables included, the research underscores that cardiovascular variables and indicators of hypovolemia (reduced volume of blood) were also found to be connected with short-term outcomes.

Cite This Article

APA
Straticò P, Varasano V, Palozzo A, Guerri G, Celani G, Revelant O, Petrizzi L. (2022). Retrospective Study on Risk Factors and Short-Term Outcome of Horses Referred for Colic from 2016 to 2022. Vet Sci, 9(10), 545. https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci9100545

Publication

Veterinary sciences
ISSN: 2306-7381
NlmUniqueID: 101680127
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 9
Issue: 10
PII: 545

Researcher Affiliations

Straticò, Paola
  • Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Località Piano d'Accio, 64100 Teramo, Italy.
Varasano, Vincenzo
  • Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Località Piano d'Accio, 64100 Teramo, Italy.
Palozzo, Adriana
  • Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Località Piano d'Accio, 64100 Teramo, Italy.
Guerri, Giulia
  • Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Località Piano d'Accio, 64100 Teramo, Italy.
Celani, Gianluca
  • Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Località Piano d'Accio, 64100 Teramo, Italy.
Revelant, Ortensia
  • Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Località Piano d'Accio, 64100 Teramo, Italy.
Petrizzi, Lucio
  • Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Località Piano d'Accio, 64100 Teramo, Italy.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Citations

This article has been cited 1 times.
  1. Spadari A, Gialletti R, Gandini M, Valle E, Cerullo A, Cavallini D, Bertoletti A, Rinnovati R, Forni G, Scilimati N, Giusto G. Short-Term Survival and Postoperative Complications Rates in Horses Undergoing Colic Surgery: A Multicentre Study.. Animals (Basel) 2023 Mar 20;13(6).
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