Sequential clinical and synovial fluid changes associated with acute infectious arthritis in the horse.
Abstract: Infectious arthritis was induced experimentally in one tarsocrural joint of six horses by intra-articular injection of 1 ml Staphylococcus-saline suspension containing 9 x 10(4) to 3 x 10(6) organisms. The corresponding contralateral joint was injected with 1 ml of saline and served as a control. The progression of the induced infectious arthritis was assessed over a nine-day period by clinical examination and sequential synovial fluid analysis with pH and lactate measurements. Changes in synovial fluid were present before clinical signs of infectious arthritis were manifested. The diagnostic value of different synovial fluid parameters at various stages of infection was determined. Cellular changes initially preceded the biochemical changes. Total leucocyte counts showed a significant increase within 24 h (up to 100 x 10(9)/litre) with great variability in subsequent measurements. Neutrophilia over 90 per cent and pH under 6.9 were the most consistent findings in the infected synovia. Increased total protein was also significant and was progressive throughout the experiment. Serum and synovial glucose difference and synovial lactate had more diagnostic value in the acute stages than in the chronic stages. The control joints elicited an inflammatory response manifested by increased leucocyte count, moderate neutrophilia, slightly increased total protein concentration, and slightly decreased pH, but all reactions were minor in comparison to those in the infected joints.
Publication Date: 1989-09-01 PubMed ID: 2776718DOI: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.1989.tb02681.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
- Clinical Examination
- Clinical Findings
- Clinical Pathology
- Diagnosis
- Disease Diagnosis
- Disease Treatment
- Equine Diseases
- Equine Health
- Horses
- In Vivo
- Infectious Disease
- Inflammation
- Intra-Articular Injection
- Leukocytes
- pH
- Staphylococcus
- Synovial Fluid
- Tarsal Joint
- Veterinary Medicine
- Veterinary Practice
- Veterinary Research
Summary
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This research explored the progression of infectious arthritis induced experimentally in horses. The results showed that changes in synovial fluid could be detected before clinical signs of the disease, with certain parameters more diagnostic in the early stages of the infection.
Methodology
- Six horses were injected with a Staphylococcus-saline suspension to induce infectious arthritis in one of their tarsocrural joints.
- The respective contralateral joint was injected with saline only and served as a control.
- Scientists performed a sequence of clinical examinations and synovial fluid analyses over nine days, studying changes in pH and lactate levels.
Findings
- Notably, changes in synovial fluid were evident before the clinical presentation of the disease.
- The research team observed that cellular alterations appeared before biochemical changes.
- Total leucocyte (white blood cell) counts increased significantly within 24 hours after the induction, while subsequent measurements witnessed high variability.
- They found that neutrophilia over 90% and pH under 6.9 in the infected synovial fluid were the most consistent findings.
- There was also a meaningful and progressive increase in the total protein over the time.
Diagnostic Value
- The difference between serum and synovial glucose and synovial lactate levels were found to provide more diagnostic value in the acute stages of infection than in the chronic stages.
- Meanwhile, the control joints also showed an inflammatory response, reflected by increased leucocyte count, moderate neutrophilia, slightly elevated total protein concentration, and slightly reduced pH.
- Nonetheless, these reactions were minimal compared to the responses observed in infected joints.
Implications
- The research contributes valuable information for the early diagnosis of infectious arthritis in horses, potentially allowing for more effective treatment.
- The observed alterations in synovial fluid parameters could act as indicators for the onset of disease, even before clinical symptoms develop.
- However, further studies are necessary to confirm these markers and to improve our understanding of the disease progression.
Cite This Article
APA
Tulamo RM, Bramlage LR, Gabel AA.
(1989).
Sequential clinical and synovial fluid changes associated with acute infectious arthritis in the horse.
Equine Vet J, 21(5), 325-331.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-3306.1989.tb02681.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Helsinki, Finland.
MeSH Terms
- Acute Disease
- Animals
- Arthritis, Infectious / complications
- Arthritis, Infectious / diagnosis
- Arthritis, Infectious / veterinary
- Blood Glucose / analysis
- Glucose / analysis
- Horse Diseases / diagnosis
- Horse Diseases / etiology
- Horses
- Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
- Lactates / analysis
- Lameness, Animal / etiology
- Leukocyte Count / veterinary
- Neutrophils
- Proteins / analysis
- Staphylococcal Infections / complications
- Staphylococcal Infections / diagnosis
- Staphylococcal Infections / veterinary
- Synovial Fluid / analysis
- Synovial Fluid / cytology
- Synovial Fluid / microbiology
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