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Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2024; 14(9); doi: 10.3390/ani14091364

The Detection of Thoracolumbar Spine Injuries in Horses with Chronic Laminitis Using a Novel Clinical-Assessment Protocol and Ultrasonographic Examination.

Abstract: Postural adaptation is a prominent feature in horses affected by laminitis. Laminitis induces intense pain, especially in the forelimbs, prompting affected horses to assume a caudally displaced trunk posture, resulting in the hyperflexion of the thoracolumbar spine. This study assessed the nature and prevalence of thoracolumbar injuries in horses with chronic laminitis compared to horses without it. Sixty horses were used (thirty laminitic and thirty non-laminitic) of different athletic purposes and ages (2-20 years). The experimental protocol entailed a single assessment of horses' thoracolumbar spines, utilizing physical examination by MACCTORE, a scoring system developed specifically for this study. Additional evaluations included the Grimace Equine Pain Scale (HGS) and ultrasound exams. Statistical tests were used to compare values (Mann-Whitney or t-test) and lesions prevalences (Fisher) between groups (p < 0.05). The results showed a higher pain manifestation (HGS and heart rate, p < 0.0001) and thoracolumbar-spine-injury levels in chronic laminitis horses, both in MACCTORE clinical examinations (11.7 ± 4.8 vs. 4.2 ± 3.3, p < 0.0001) and general ultrasonographic indices (39.6 ± 12.0 vs. 20.7 ± 7.1, p < 0.0001), including specific examination approaches for various spinal elements. Horses with laminitis presented with a 14-fold higher prevalence of ultrasound-relevant lesions in the thoracolumbar spine (CI: 4.4 to 50.6, p < 0.0001) compared to controls. These findings constitute new evidence of an association between chronic laminitis and the presence of thoracolumbar spine injuries in horses, which may be confirmed by more sophisticated study designs.
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Publication Date: 2024-04-30 PubMed ID: 38731368PubMed Central: PMC11083038DOI: 10.3390/ani14091364Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

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 study investigates the occurrence and nature of thoracolumbar spine injuries in horses suffering from chronic laminitis, and compares these findings to horses without the condition. The study used a newly developed clinical assessment protocol and ultrasonographic exams for evaluation.

Study Design and Method

  • The study involved sixty horses divided into two groups: thirty with chronic laminitis and thirty without. The horses ranged in age from 2 to 20 years and were used for various athletic purposes.
  • The researchers performed a single assessment of each horse’s thoracolumbar spine, using a physical examination method developed specifically for this study, known as MACCTORE.
  • Additional assessments included the Grimace Equine Pain Scale (HGS) and ultrasound exams.
  • Statistical tests – specifically, the Mann-Whitney or -test and the Fisher test – were used to compare the values and lesions’ prevalence between the two groups.

Results and Findings

  • The study found that horses with chronic laminitis exhibited higher levels of pain, as assessed by the HGS and heart rate measurements.
  • Scores from the MACCTORE clinical examinations, as well as general ultrasonographic indices, were significantly higher in the laminitic group, indicating more severe thoracolumbar spine injuries.
  • Laminitis-affected horses also showed 14 times the prevalence of lesions recognizable in ultrasound exams of the thoracolumbar spine compared to the control group.

Conclusion

  • The research presented new findings correlating chronic laminitis in horses with the presence of thoracolumbar spine injuries.
  • The study suggests more sophisticated study designs for validation of the correlation established in this research.

Cite This Article

APA
Guedes JRB, Vendruscolo CP, Tokawa PKA, Carvalho AM, Johnson PJ, Faleiros RR. (2024). The Detection of Thoracolumbar Spine Injuries in Horses with Chronic Laminitis Using a Novel Clinical-Assessment Protocol and Ultrasonographic Examination. Animals (Basel), 14(9). https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14091364

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 14
Issue: 9

Researcher Affiliations

Guedes, Julia R B
  • The EQUINOVA Research Group, Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, Veterinary School, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil.
Vendruscolo, Cynthia P
  • Department of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics School (FMVZ), University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo 13635-900, Brazil.
Tokawa, Paula K A
  • Department of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics School (FMVZ), University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo 13635-900, Brazil.
Carvalho, Armando M
  • The EQUINOVA Research Group, Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, Veterinary School, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil.
Johnson, Philip J
  • Equine Internal Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA.
Faleiros, Rafael R
  • The EQUINOVA Research Group, Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, Veterinary School, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil.

Grant Funding

  • CAPES

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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