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Serum amyloid A concentration in postoperative colic horses and its association with postoperative complications.
Abstract: To determine serum amyloid A (SAA) concentrations in the postoperative (PO) colic horse and its association with PO complications and infection. Methods: Prospective case series. Methods: Fifty-one horses after colic surgery. Methods: Blood samples from horses undergoing exploratory celiotomy were analyzed for quantitative SAA and fibrinogen concentrations and for neutrophil count at days 0, 1, 2, and 4-6 and at hospital discharge. Results: Complications developed in 35 (69%) horses and included PO colic (n = 13, 25%), PO reflux (n = 11, 22%), intravenous catheter (IVC) complications (n = 11, 22%), low-grade fever (n = 11, 22%); surgical site infection (SSI; n = 9, 18%), high-grade fever (n = 7, 14%), and diarrhea (n = 4, 8%). There was an association between day 2 SAA and PO colic (P = .004), diarrhea (P = .042), IVC complications (P = .008), and PO reflux (P = .008) as well as day 4-6 SAA and PO colic (P = .004) and diarrhea (P = .018). Discharge SAA concentration was associated with SSI (P = .001). Fibrinogen concentrations at days 4-6 and at discharge were associated with PO colic (P = .003), diarrhea (P = .004), IVC complications (P = .002), and PO reflux (P = .023). No differences were seen in SAA, fibrinogen, or neutrophils between horses with PO infection vs those with non-infection-associated complications. Conclusions: Serum amyloid A was markedly increased in the PO period in all horses but did not differ between PO infection and noninfection complications. The amount of inflammation associated with PO colic and colic surgery was high and may have affected the predictive value of SAA for early PO infection. Conclusions: Although increases occurred earlier, measurement of SAA with a point-of-care analyzer may not be a more sensitive indicator of infection in the early PO colic horse than fibrinogen concentration. Serum amyloid A may help detect SSI in the late PO period.
© 2018 The American College of Veterinary Surgeons.
Publication Date: 2018-11-29 PubMed ID: 30499192DOI: 10.1111/vsu.13133Google Scholar: Lookup 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
Summary
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This research aimed to assess the serum amyloid A (SAA) levels in horses after colic surgery and investigate its correlation with postoperative complications and infections.
Study Design and Methodology
- The study involved a prospective case series design where 51 horses were observed post colic surgery.
- Blood samples were collected and analyzed for SAA levels, fibrinogen concentrations, and neutrophil count at different intervals: days 0, 1, 2, and 4-6, and at the time of hospital discharge.
Results of the Study
- Postoperative complications were witnessed in 69% of the horses which included postoperative colic, reflux, intravenous catheter complications, low and high-grade fever, diarrhea, and surgical site infection.
- There was a significant association noticed between SAA levels on day 2 and postoperative colic, diarrhea, intravenous catheter complications, and reflux. Similar associations were observed with SAA levels on day 4-6.
- In case of SAA concentration at the time of discharge, a significant association was discovered with surgical site infection.
- Fibrinogen levels at days 4-6 and at discharge were found to be significantly linked with post-operative colic, diarrhea, intravenous catheter complications, and reflux.
- No significant differences were noticed in SAA, fibrinogen, or neutrophils between horses with postoperative infection versus those with non-infection-associated complications.
Conclusion drawn from the Study
- All horses showed elevated levels of SAA in the postoperative period regardless of whether they had postoperative infection or noninfection complications, indicating a high degree of inflammation associated with colic and colic surgery.
- However, it was observed that the predictive value of SAA for early postoperative infection could be affected due to this high amount of inflammation.
- Despite SAA levels increasing sooner, it may not be a more reliable early infection indicator in postoperative colic horses than fibrinogen concentration.
- SAA may be utilized to help detect surgical site infection in the late postoperative period.
Cite This Article
APA
Aitken MR, Stefanovski D, Southwood LL.
(2018).
Serum amyloid A concentration in postoperative colic horses and its association with postoperative complications.
Vet Surg, 48(2), 143-151.
https://doi.org/10.1111/vsu.13133 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Clinical Studies, New Bolton Center, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania.
- Department of Clinical Studies, New Bolton Center, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania.
- Department of Clinical Studies, New Bolton Center, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Biomarkers
- Colic / surgery
- Colic / veterinary
- Female
- Fibrinogen
- Horse Diseases / surgery
- Horses
- Inflammation
- Laparotomy
- Male
- Postoperative Complications / blood
- Postoperative Complications / veterinary
- Postoperative Period
- Prospective Studies
- Serum Amyloid A Protein / metabolism
- Surgical Wound Infection / veterinary
Grant Funding
- Raymond Firestone Trust
Citations
This article has been cited 7 times.- Ludwig EK, Hobbs KJ, McKinney-Aguirre CA, Gonzalez LM. Biomarkers of Intestinal Injury in Colic. Animals (Basel) 2023 Jan 7;13(2).
- Thurston CC, Stefanovski D, MacKinnon MC, Chapman HS, Richardson DW, Levine DG. Serum amyloid A and fibrinogen as markers for early detection of surgical site infection associated with internal fixation in the horse. Front Vet Sci 2022;9:960865.
- Long A, Nolen-Walston R. Equine Inflammatory Markers in the Twenty-First Century: A Focus on Serum Amyloid A. Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract 2020 Apr;36(1):147-160.
- Southwood LL, Long A, Perez J, Daniel S, Bittinger K, Aitken M, Redding L. Effect of surgical antimicrobial prophylaxis duration for colic surgery on complications and resistome. Equine Vet J 2026 Mar;58(2):390-403.
- Souto PC, Santos MR, Orozco AMO, Bento LD, Ramirez-Lopez CJ, Girardi FM, Machado JCA, de Oliveira LL, da Fonseca LA. Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) Development for Equine Serum Amyloid A (SAA) Determination Using Recombinant Proteins. Methods Protoc 2025 Apr 7;8(2).
- Laves J, Wergin M, Bauer N, Müller SF, Failing K, Büttner K, Hagen A, Melzer M, Röcken M. The effect of Traumeel LT ad us. vet. on the perioperative inflammatory response after castration of stallions: a prospective, randomized, double-blinded study. Front Vet Sci 2024;11:1342345.
- Ayodele BA, Pagel CN, Mackie EJ, Armour F, Yamada S, Zahra P, Courtman N, Whitton RC, Hitchens PL. Differences in bone turnover markers and injury risks between local and international horses: A Victorian Spring Racing Carnival study. Equine Vet J 2025 Mar;57(2):333-346.
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