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The effect of exercise on plasma concentrations of inflammatory markers in normal and previously laminitic ponies.
Abstract: The mechanisms underlying predisposition to pasture-associated laminitis remain unclear; chronic inflammation is implicated, and this may be exacerbated by physical inactivity. Objective: To determine whether exercise affects the inflammatory profile of normal and previously laminitic ponies. Methods: Prospective case-control study. Methods: The short (1 day) and longer term (14 days) effects of low intensity (10 min walking and 5 min trotting) exercise on plasma inflammatory marker concentrations in normal (NL) and previously laminitic (PL) nonobese ponies (n = 6/group) was determined. Plasma concentrations of TNF-α, serum amyloid A (SAA), haptoglobin, insulin, adiponectin and fibrinogen were assayed by validated/standard methods. Data were analysed using a linear mixed effects model. Results: Before exercise, plasma [adiponectin] was significantly (P = 0.0001) lower in PL (mean ± s.d. 2.4 ± 0.1 ng/l) than in NL (4.03 ± 0.2 ng/l), but exercise had no effect. Previous laminitis and exercise had no effect on plasma [TNF-α] or [fibrinogen]. Serum amyloid A concentrations in all ponies were significantly (P = 0.00001) reduced after longer term exercise compared to Day 1 values. Plasma [haptoglobin] was significantly (P = 0.00001) higher in PL compared to NL on Day 1. This difference was no longer apparent after longer term exercise, such that [haptoglobin] in PL had decreased to concentrations similar to NL. Following short-term exercise, all ponies had an initial decrease in serum [insulin] immediately after exercise, followed by an increase peaking 10 min after exercise cessation, before returning to pre-exercise values. On Day 14 these fluctuations were significantly (P = 0.001) reduced in all ponies. Conclusions: Fourteen days of low intensity exercise significantly decreased [SAA] in all ponies and plasma [haptoglobin] in PL such that it was no longer increased compared to NL. Regular low intensity exercise appears to have an anti-inflammatory effect, which is possibly greater in PL and so may be beneficial in reducing this putative risk factor in pasture-associated laminitis.
© 2013 EVJ Ltd.
Publication Date: 2013-09-11 PubMed ID: 23819851DOI: 10.1111/evj.12132Google 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.
- Clinical Trial
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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This research analyzes how exercise impacts the levels of certain inflammatory markers in the blood of healthy horses as well as horses that have previously suffered from laminitis. It found that regular, low-intensity exercise has an anti-inflammatory effect and can be especially beneficial for animals with a history of laminitis.
Study Method
- The researchers conducted a prospective case-control study to determine the effects of exercise on the inflammatory profile of normal and previously laminitic ponies.
- They observed the immediate (1 day) and longer term (14 days) effects of low intensity exercise, which consisted of a 10-minute walk and a 5-minute trot, on two groups of non-obese ponies. One group had never experienced laminitis (NL) and the other group had previously suffered from laminitis (PL). Each group contained six ponies.
- They measured the plasma concentrations of various inflammatory markers, including TNF-α, serum amyloid A (SAA), haptoglobin, insulin, adiponectin and fibrinogen. These measurements were taken before exercise and then again immediately after, for both the short-term and long-term observation periods.
- The results were analyzed using a linear mixed-effects model.
Study Findings
- The study found that before exercise, PL ponies had significantly lower plasma concentrations of adiponectin than NL ponies. However, exercise seemed to have no effect on adiponectin levels in either group.
- Both exercise and previous laminitis had no obvious impact on plasma TNF-α or fibrinogen levels.
- Serum amyloid A concentrations were significantly reduced in all ponies after longer term exercise compared to levels observed after one day of exercise.
- On Day 1, PL ponies had significantly higher haptoglobin levels compared to NL ponies. But after 14 days of exercise, the haptoglobin levels in PL ponies decreased to match those of NL ponies.
- Following short-term exercise, serum insulin levels in all ponies initially decreased immediately after exercise, then increased to peak 10 minutes after exercise stopped before returning to pre-exercise levels. However, these fluctuations were significantly reduced in all ponies after 14 days of exercise.
Conclusions
- The researchers concluded that 14 days of low-intensity exercise significantly decreased the levels of SAA in all ponies and the plasma haptoglobin levels in PL ponies. As a result, haptoglobin levels in PL ponies were no longer increased compared to NL ponies after 14 days of exercise.
- Overall, this study suggests that regular, low-intensity exercise has an anti-inflammatory effect which could be particularly beneficial for horses that have previously experienced laminitis. This type of exercise may help reduce the inflammation that’s seen as a potential risk factor in pasture-associated laminitis.
Cite This Article
APA
Menzies-Gow NJ, Wray H, Bailey SR, Harris PA, Elliott J.
(2013).
The effect of exercise on plasma concentrations of inflammatory markers in normal and previously laminitic ponies.
Equine Vet J, 46(3), 317-321.
https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.12132 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Royal Veterinary College, London, UK.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Biomarkers / blood
- Female
- Foot Diseases / blood
- Foot Diseases / metabolism
- Foot Diseases / veterinary
- Gene Expression Regulation / physiology
- Hoof and Claw / pathology
- Horse Diseases / blood
- Horse Diseases / metabolism
- Horses / blood
- Horses / physiology
- Inflammation / blood
- Inflammation / metabolism
- Inflammation / veterinary
- Male
- Physical Conditioning, Animal / physiology
Citations
This article has been cited 11 times.- Ward AB, Stephen K, Argo CM, Harris PA, Watson CA, Neacsu M, Russell W, Grove-White DH, Morrison PK. COVID-19 impacts equine welfare: Policy implications for laminitis and obesity. PLoS One 2021;16(5):e0252340.
- Box JR, McGowan CM, Raekallio MR, Mykkänen AK, Carslake H, Karikoski NP. Insulin dysregulation in a population of Finnhorses and associated phenotypic markers of obesity. J Vet Intern Med 2020 Jul;34(4):1599-1605.
- 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.
- Durham AE, Frank N, McGowan CM, Menzies-Gow NJ, Roelfsema E, Vervuert I, Feige K, Fey K. ECEIM consensus statement on equine metabolic syndrome. J Vet Intern Med 2019 Mar;33(2):335-349.
- Bamford NJ, Potter SJ, Baskerville CL, Harris PA, Bailey SR. Influence of dietary restriction and low-intensity exercise on weight loss and insulin sensitivity in obese equids. J Vet Intern Med 2019 Jan;33(1):280-286.
- Frank N, Walsh DM. Repeatability of Oral Sugar Test Results, Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Measurements, and Serum High-Molecular-Weight Adiponectin Concentrations in Horses. J Vet Intern Med 2017 Jul;31(4):1178-1187.
- de Laat MA, Hampson BA, Sillence MN, Pollitt CC. Sustained, Low-Intensity Exercise Achieved by a Dynamic Feeding System Decreases Body Fat in Ponies. J Vet Intern Med 2016 Sep;30(5):1732-1738.
- Banse HE, Holbrook TC, Frank N, McFarlane D. Relationship of skeletal muscle inflammation with obesity and obesity-associated hyperinsulinemia in horses. Can J Vet Res 2016 Jul;80(3):217-24.
- Zabrecky KA, Slovis NM, Constable PD, Taylor SD. Plasma C-reactive protein and haptoglobin concentrations in critically ill neonatal foals. J Vet Intern Med 2015 Mar-Apr;29(2):673-7.
- Menzies-Gow NJ, Wray H, Bailey SR, Harris PA, Elliott J. The effect of tumour necrosis factor-α and insulin on equine digital blood vessel function in vitro. Inflamm Res 2014 Aug;63(8):637-47.
- Boshuizen B, De Maré L, Oosterlinck M, Van Immerseel F, Eeckhaut V, De Meeus C, Devisscher L, Vidal Moreno de Vega C, Willems M, De Oliveira JE, Hosotani G, Gansemans Y, Meese T, Van Nieuwerburgh F, Deforce D, Vanderperren K, Verdegaal EL, Delesalle C. Aleurone supplementation enhances the metabolic benefits of training in Standardbred mares: impacts on glucose-insulin dynamics and gut microbiome composition. Front Physiol 2025;16:1565005.
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