Risk factors associated with renal insufficiency in horses with primary gastrointestinal disease: 26 cases (2000-2003).

The research article focuses on finding the risk factors associated with kidney dysfunction in horses, particularly those suffering from colic or colitis with high serum creatinine (SCr) concentrations. The study discovered that gastric reflux, abnormal rectal findings, and low chloride levels could indicate renal insufficiency, with a higher rate of mortality seen in horses whose azotemia didn’t resolve within 72 hours of treatment.

Objective and Methods

• The main aim of the study was to detect any factors allied to kidney dysfunction (renal insufficiency) in horses suffering from specific gastrointestinal diseases namely, colic or colitis.
• The researchers analyzed retrospectively, series of cases involving 167 horses who showed symptoms of colic or colitis. Out of these, 88 were chosen completely randomly from the hospital population while 79 had high SCr concentrations at the time of first evaluation.
• Data gathered in detailed medical records included information gathered from physical examination, clinicopathologic and diagnostic findings, and the eventual outcome.
• Notably, horses were bifurcated into two groups: the AR group (n=53) where SCr levels normalized after 72 hours of fluid therapy, and the PA group (n=26) where it did not.

Results

• The study demonstrated a significant overrepresentation in Quarter Horses and males.
• It was found that horses from the study population were more likely to be afflicted with colitis, gastric reflux, and diarrhea when compared to the hospital population.
• While comparing, researchers found that the PA group had a significantly higher mean SCr concentration initially than the AR group.
• Moreover, the emergence of gastric reflux, abnormal rectal examination outcomes, and hypochloremia (low blood chloride levels) were closely linked with persistent high levels of nitrogen waste products (azotemia) even after 72 hours of fluid therapy.
• Accordingly, the mortality rate was 3 times higher in the PA group (persistent azotemia) than in the AR group (azotemia resolution within 72 hours).

Conclusions

• The study concluded that in horses with colic or colitis, renal insufficiency was associated with certain factors like gastric reflux, abnormal rectal examination findings, and hypochloremia.
• The prognosis for horses in the AR group, whose azotemia resolves within 72 hours, was found to be better than for horses in the PA group showing persistent azotemia.