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Home / Equine Research Bank / J Vet Intern Med / The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis response to ovine co...
Journal of veterinary internal medicine2023; 37(1); 292-301; doi: 10.1111/jvim.16604

The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis response to ovine corticotropin-releasing-hormone stimulation tests in healthy and hospitalized foals.

Abstract: The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis (HPAA) response to sepsis can be impaired in critical illness. Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) stimulation test might assess HPAA function in foals. Objective: To evaluate plasma cortisol, ACTH, arginine vasopressin (AVP), and endogenous CRH (eCRH) response to different doses of ovine CRH (oCRH). Methods: Healthy (n = 14) and hospitalized (n = 15) foals <7 days of age. Methods: In this prospective randomized study, oCRH (0.1, 0.3, and 1 μg/kg) was administered intravenously and blood samples were collected before, 15, 30, 60, and 90 minutes after administration of oCRH to determine plasma hormone concentrations. The hormonal response was evaluated as the difference (Delta; μg/dL or pg/mL) or percent change between baseline hormone concentration and each time point after oCRH stimulation. Results: Cortisol concentrations increased from baseline at 15 minutes with 0.1 and 0.3 μg/kg and at 30 and 60 minutes from baseline with 1 μg/kg oCRH (P < .05) in healthy and hospitalized foals. ACTH concentrations increased from baseline at 15 minutes with 0.1 μg/kg and at 30 minutes with 1 μg/kg oCRH (P < .05) in hospitalized foals. Delta cortisol 0 - 30, ACTH 0 - 30, and eCRH 0 - 30 was higher for the 1 μg/kg compared with 0.1 μg/kg oCRH in healthy foals (P < .05). Delta ACTH 0 - 15 and eCRH 0 - 30 was higher for the 1 μg/kg compared with the lower doses of oCRH in hospitalized foals (P < .05). Conclusions: Cortisol, ACTH, and eCRH concentrations increased in response to administration of all doses of oCRH. One microgram per kilogram of oCRH appears to be optimal for the assessment of HPAA in healthy and hospitalized foals.
© 2023 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.
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Publication Date: 2023-01-18 PubMed ID: 36651191PubMed Central: PMC9889673DOI: 10.1111/jvim.16604Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Veterinary
  • 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.

This research investigates how the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPAA) axis in healthy and hospitalized foals reacts to injections of different doses of ovine corticotropin-releasing hormone (oCRH). The research found that injecting 1 microgram per kilogram of oCRH seemed to be optimal for investigating the HPAA response in young foals, whether healthy or ill.

Objective and Methodology

  • The researchers aimed to evaluate plasma cortisol, ACTH, arginine vasopressin (AVP), and endogenous CRH (eCRH) response to different doses of ovine CRH (oCRH) in healthy and hospitalized foals.
  • This was a prospective randomized study involving 14 healthy and 15 hospitalized foals less than 7 days old.
  • Different doses of oCRH (0.1, 0.3, and 1 μg/kg) were administered intravenously.
  • Blood samples were collected before administration and 15, 30, 60, and 90 minutes afterward to determine plasma hormone concentrations.
  • The hormonal response was evaluated as the difference (Delta) or percent change between the baseline hormone concentration and each time point after oCRH stimulation.

Results

  • The cortisol concentrations in both healthy and hospitalized foals increased from the baseline at 15 minutes with 0.1 and 0.3 μg/kg and at 30 and 60 minutes from baseline with 1 μg/kg oCRH.
  • ACTH concentrations increased from baseline at 15 minutes with 0.1 μg/kg and at 30 minutes with 1 μg/kg oCRH in hospitalized foals.
  • In healthy foals, Delta cortisol 0 – 30, ACTH 0 – 30, and eCRH 0 – 30 were higher for the 1 μg/kg dose compared to the 0.1 μg/kg oCRH dose.
  • In hospitalized foals, Delta ACTH 0 – 15 and eCRH 0 – 30 were higher for the 1 μg/kg dose compared to the lower doses of oCRH.

Conclusions

  • Cortisol, ACTH, and eCRH concentrations increased in response to the administration of all doses of oCRH.
  • The study concludes that 1 μg/kg of oCRH appears to be the optimal dosage for assessing HPAA function in both healthy and hospitalized foals.

Cite This Article

APA
Johnson K, Peterson J, Kopper J, Dembek K. (2023). The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis response to ovine corticotropin-releasing-hormone stimulation tests in healthy and hospitalized foals. J Vet Intern Med, 37(1), 292-301. https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.16604

Publication

Journal of veterinary internal medicine
ISSN: 1939-1676
NlmUniqueID: 8708660
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 37
Issue: 1
Pages: 292-301

Researcher Affiliations

Johnson, Katheryn
  • Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ames, Iowa, USA.
Peterson, Jackie
  • Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ames, Iowa, USA.
Kopper, Jamie
  • Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ames, Iowa, USA.
Dembek, Katarzyna
  • Department of Clinical Sciences, North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Sheep
  • Horses
  • Adrenocorticotropic Hormone
  • Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / pharmacology
  • Hydrocortisone
  • Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System
  • Prospective Studies
  • Pituitary-Adrenal System

Grant Funding

  • Iowa State University

Conflict of Interest Statement

Authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Citations

This article has been cited 1 times.
  1. Elder E, Wong D, Johnson K, Robertson H, Marner M, Dembek K. Assessment of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis function using a vasopressin stimulation test in neonatal foals.. J Vet Intern Med 2023 Sep-Oct;37(5):1881-1888.
    doi: 10.1111/jvim.16808pubmed: 37432047google scholar: lookup
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