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Serially determined plasma alpha-tocopherol concentrations and results of the oral vitamin E absorption test in clinically normal horses and in horses with degenerative myeloencephalopathy.
Abstract: Plasma alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E) values were monitored serially in 9 foals sired by a stallion with equine degenerative myeloencephalopathy (EDM) and in 5 age-matched control foals (sired by a clinically normal stallion) raised in the same environment for the first year of life. Clinical evaluation determined that 8 of the 9 foals sired by the stallion with EDM had neurologic deficits consistent with the disease on one or more occasions during the study period, whereas control foals had normal gait. From 6 weeks to 10 months of age, plasma alpha-tocopherol values in foals with signs of EDM were significantly (P less than 0.001) lower than those in control foals. An oral vitamin E absorption test was performed, and results for 8 of the affected horses and the affected stallion were compared with results for 4 of the monitored control horses and 4 additional control horses. Significant differences were not evident in any of the absorption indices. On the basis of data from this study and supported by reported prophylactic and therapeutic benefits of supplemented vitamin E, low plasma concentration of vitamin E is concluded to be a factor in the development of EDM in the first year of life of hereditarily predisposed foals. It was also concluded that the significantly lower alpha-tocopherol values seen in the foals in this study did not reflect a primary gastrointestinal tract absorption problem.
Publication Date: 1991-06-01 PubMed ID: 1883094 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.
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The study focuses on the relation between low levels of plasma alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E) and the development of equine degenerative myeloencephalopathy (EDM) in foals, highlighting no evidence of a gastrointestinal tract absorption problem. The research emphasizes that vitamin E deficiency in the first year of life can predispose foals to EDM.
Study Subjects and Methodology
- The study included 9 foals sired by a stallion with EDM and 5 healthy foals raised in the same conditions, acting as control subjects.
- The research used serial monitoring of plasma alpha-tocopherol in these foals during their first year of life.
- An oral vitamin E absorption test was also conducted to rule out absorption issues.
Results and Findings
- It was observed that 8 of the 9 foals from the EDM affected stallion exhibited neurological deficits matching EDM symptoms at least once during the study period. On the other hand, the control foals showed no such symptoms and had normal gait.
- From the age of 6 weeks to 10 months, foals showing EDM symptoms exhibited significantly lower plasma alpha-tocopherol values as compared to control foals.
- The vitamin E absorption test indicated no substantial differences in absorption indices between affected and control horses, negating the idea of a primary gastrointestinal tract absorption issue.
Conclusions
- Based on these study data and considering reported prophylactic and therapeutic benefits of vitamin E, it was concluded that a low plasma concentration of vitamin E contributes to the development of EDM in foals during their first year of life.
- Furthermore, the significantly lower alpha-tocopherol values in the foals did not indicate a primary gastrointestinal tract absorption issue, meaning the problem does not lie in the foals’ ability to absorb the vitamin, but rather their deficiency of it.
Cite This Article
APA
Blythe LL, Craig AM, Lassen ED, Rowe KE, Appell LH.
(1991).
Serially determined plasma alpha-tocopherol concentrations and results of the oral vitamin E absorption test in clinically normal horses and in horses with degenerative myeloencephalopathy.
Am J Vet Res, 52(6), 908-911.
Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, Corvallis 97331.
MeSH Terms
- Absorption
- Animals
- Demyelinating Diseases / blood
- Demyelinating Diseases / veterinary
- Horse Diseases / blood
- Horses / blood
- Longitudinal Studies
- Reference Values
- Vitamin E / blood
- Vitamin E / pharmacokinetics
Citations
This article has been cited 8 times.- Brown KA, Bender SJ, Johnson AL. Clinical and histopathological features in horses with neuroaxonal degeneration: 100 cases (2017-2021). J Vet Intern Med 2024 Jan-Feb;38(1):431-439.
- Ma Y, Peng S, Donnelly CG, Ghosh S, Miller AD, Woolard K, Finno CJ. Genetic polymorphisms in vitamin E transport genes as determinants for risk of equine neuroaxonal dystrophy. J Vet Intern Med 2024 Jan-Feb;38(1):417-423.
- Hales EN, Habib H, Favro G, Katzman S, Sakai RR, Marquardt S, Bordbari MH, Ming-Whitfield B, Peterson J, Dahlgren AR, Rivas V, Ramirez CA, Peng S, Donnelly CG, Dizmang BS, Kallenberg A, Grahn R, Miller AD, Woolard K, Moeller B, Puschner B, Finno CJ. Increased α-tocopherol metabolism in horses with equine neuroaxonal dystrophy. J Vet Intern Med 2021 Sep;35(5):2473-2485.
- Fedullo AL, Ciccotti M, Giannotta P, Alviti F, Bernardi M, Raguzzini A, Toti E, Sciarra T, Peluso I. Hormetic Effects of Bioactive Compounds from Foods, Beverages, and Food Dressing: The Potential Role in Spinal Cord Injury. Oxid Med Cell Longev 2021;2021:6615752.
- Burns EN, Finno CJ. Equine degenerative myeloencephalopathy: prevalence, impact, and management. Vet Med (Auckl) 2018;9:63-67.
- Adams AP, Collatos C, Fuentealba C, Illanes O, Blanchard R. Neuroaxonal dystrophy in a two-year-old quarter horse filly. Can Vet J 1996 Jan;37(1):43-4.
- Cummings JF, de Lahunta A, Mohammed HO, Divers TJ, Summers BA, Valentine BA, Jackson CA. Endothelial lipopigment as an indicator of alpha-tocopherol deficiency in two equine neurodegenerative diseases. Acta Neuropathol 1995;90(3):266-72.
- Blakley BR, Bell RJ. The vitamin A and vitamin E status of horses raised in Alberta and Saskatchewan. Can Vet J 1994 May;35(5):297-300.
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