The diagnostic value of the D-xylose absorption test in horses with unexplained chronic weight loss.
Abstract: A D-xylose absorption test was performed on 40 horses with chronic weight loss which could not be explained on history, physical findings, dietary evaluation, or initial laboratory data, i.e. unexplained weight loss. Six of the horses had D-xylose malabsorption and at post-mortem examination small intestinal lesions which accounted for the malabsorption were found in five. Five of the horses with normal absorption were examined post mortem and no lesions in any organs were found to account for the weight loss. The other 29 cases were still unexplained, and lost to follow-up.
Publication Date: 1992-01-01 PubMed ID: 1551013DOI: 10.1016/0007-1935(92)90065-9Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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This study investigates the potential diagnostic value of the D-xylose absorption test in identifying the cause of chronic weight loss in horses when other traditional methods have failed. Researchers found that this test could help in identifying small intestinal lesions, which were found in five out of six horses diagnosed with D-xylose malabsorption. The cause of weight loss in the majority of cases, however, remained a mystery.
Introduction
- This research examines the diagnostic potential of the D-xylose absorption test when trying to determine the cause of chronic weight loss in horses in cases where more conventional diagnostic tools and methodologies did not yield a clear result.
Methods
- 40 horses suffering from unexplained chronic weight loss were subjected to the D-xylose absorption test. This chronic weight loss couldn’t be explained by their medical history, physical examination findings, dietary evaluations, or initial laboratory results.
Results
- Out of the 40 tested horses, the D-xylose absorption test detected malabsorption in six. This suggests that the horse’s body was not properly absorbing nutrients from its food, leading to weight loss.
- A post-mortem examination was carried out on these six horses, revealing small intestinal lesions in five of them. These lesions can disrupt nutrient absorption, explain the weight loss, and validate the D-xylose absorption test as a helpful diagnostic tool in some cases.
- Post-mortem examinations of another group of five horses with normal D-xylose absorption showed no organ lesions that could be responsible for their weight loss.
- The remaining 29 horses with unexplained weight loss were lost to follow-up, leaving their conditions unresolved.
Conclusion
- While further studies and larger samples are needed to improve the precision and reliability of conclusions, this study found that the D-xylose absorption test could be of diagnostic value for certain horses suffering from unexplained chronic weight loss.
- The test could potentially detect malabsorption due to small intestinal lesions, however, the cause of weight loss for a significant portion of the cases (29 out of 40) remained unexplained.
Cite This Article
APA
Brown CM.
(1992).
The diagnostic value of the D-xylose absorption test in horses with unexplained chronic weight loss.
Br Vet J, 148(1), 41-44.
https://doi.org/10.1016/0007-1935(92)90065-9 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing 48824-1314.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Chronic Disease
- Female
- Horse Diseases / diagnosis
- Horses
- Intestinal Absorption
- Malabsorption Syndromes / diagnosis
- Malabsorption Syndromes / veterinary
- Male
- Retrospective Studies
- Weight Loss
- Xylose / metabolism
Citations
This article has been cited 2 times.- Kaikkonen R, Niinistö K, Sykes B, Anttila M, Sankari S, Raekallio M. Diagnostic evaluation and short-term outcome as indicators of long-term prognosis in horses with findings suggestive of inflammatory bowel disease treated with corticosteroids and anthelmintics. Acta Vet Scand 2014 Jun 3;56(1):35.
- Kranenburg LC, Bouwmeester BF, van den Boom R. Findings and Prognosis in 149 Horses with Histological Changes Compatible with Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Animals (Basel) 2024 May 30;14(11).
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