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Home / Equine Research Bank / Equine Vet J / The impact of short-term transportation stress on insulin an...
Equine veterinary journal2024; doi: 10.1111/evj.14403

The impact of short-term transportation stress on insulin and oral sugar responses in insulin dysregulated and non-insulin dysregulated horses.

Abstract: It is unknown whether short-term transportation affects endocrine responses similarly in horses with and without insulin dysregulation (ID). Objective: To characterise the effect of short-term transportation on stress parameters and insulin responses to an oral sugar test (OST) in horses with and without ID. Methods: Longitudinal cohort study. Methods: Fourteen adult non-pregnant, non-PPID mares of mixed light breeds were grouped as either ID (n = 7) or non-ID (n = 7) based on endocrine testing. Over 2 weeks, horses were transported once, in groups of 3-4 in a horse trailer on a round-trip journey of ~1.5 h. Blood and saliva were collected 24 h and 1 h pre-transportation, directly after unloading and 15 min, 1 h, 3 h plus 24 h post-transportation. An OST was performed 24 h pre-transportation and 3 h post-transportation with a pre- (T0) and post-OST sample collected 60 min later (T60). Heart rates and rectal temperatures were also collected throughout the study. Serum insulin, serum cortisol, and plasma glucose were measured using validated assays. Repeated measures ANOVA were used to determine differences after transportation and between ID and non-ID horses. Non-normal data were log-transformed and multiple comparisons were adjusted using Bonferroni post hoc tests. Results: Mean insulin was higher in ID horses versus non-ID horses (mean = 109.9 μU/mL vs. 30.2 μU/mL, p < 0.001; 95% CI for mean difference = [55.6-107.7 μU/mL]). Mean serum insulin increased following OST at T60 in ID horses pre- (154.6 μU/mL, p = 0.04; 95% CI = [86.3-223.0 μU/mL]) and post-transportation (284.6 μU/mL, p = 0.03; 95% CI = [114.3-454.8 μU/mL]). Non-ID horses had a mean OST T60 insulin post-transportation of 56.6 μU/mL (95% CI = [29.1-84.1 μU/mL]); above recognised threshold [45 μU/mL] for ID diagnosis. Conclusions: Small number of horses, only mares used, and OST not performed immediately post-transportation. Conclusions: Performing an OST 3 h following short-term transportation may result in inaccurate ID status. Unassigned: Atualmente não se sabe se o transporte de curto prazo afeta as respostas endócrinas de maneira semelhante em cavalos com e sem disfunção insulinêmica (DI). Objective: Caracterizar o efeito do transporte de curto prazo nos parâmetros de estresse e nas respostas de insulina a um teste de açúcar oral (TAO) em cavalos com e sem DI. Unassigned: Estudo de coorte longitudinal. MÉTODOS: Quatorze éguas adultas não prenhes, sem disfunção da pars intermédia da pituitária, de raças leves foram agrupadas como DI (n = 7) ou não‐DI (n = 7) com base em testes endócrinos. Durante 2 semanas, as éguas foram transportadas uma vez, em grupos de 3 a 4,em um caminhão de cavalos, em uma viagem de ida e volta de ~1,5 h. Sangue e saliva foram coletados 24 h e 1 h antes do transporte, diretamente após o descarregamento e 15 min, 1 h, 3 h e 24 h após o transporte. Um TAO foi realizado 24 h antes do transporte e 3 h após o transporte, com uma amostra pré‐ (T0) e pós‐TOA coletada 60 min depois (T60). Frequências cardíacas e temperaturas retais também foram coletadas ao longo do estudo. Insulina sérica, cortisol sérico e glicose plasmática foram medidos usando ensaios validados. ANOVA de medidas repetidas foi utilizada para determinar diferenças após o transporte e entre cavalos com e sem DI. Dados não normais foram transformados logaritmicamente e comparações múltiplas foram ajustadas usando testes post hoc de Bonferroni. Results: A média de insulina foi maior em cavalos com DI em comparação aos cavalos sem DI (média = 109,9 μU/mL vs 30,2 μU/mL, p < 0,001; IC 95% para diferença de média = [55,6–107,7 μU/mL]). A média de insulina sérica aumentou após o TAO em T60 em cavalos com DI antes (154,6 μU/mL, p = 0,04; IC 95% = [86,3–223,0 μU/mL]) e após o transporte (284,6 μU/mL, p = 0,03; IC 95% = [114,3–454,8 μU/mL]). Cavalos sem DI tiveram uma média de insulina TAO T60 pós‐transporte de 56,6 μU/mL (IC 95% = [29,1–84,1 μU/mL]); acima do limite reconhecido [45 μU/mL] para diagnóstico de DI. PRINCIPAIS LIMITAÇÕES: Pequeno número de cavalos, uso apenas de éguas e TAO não realizado imediatamente após o transporte. CONCLUSÕES: Realizar um TAO 3 horas após o transporte de curto prazo pode resultar em um status de DI impreciso.
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Publication Date: 2024-09-04 PubMed ID: 39233387DOI: 10.1111/evj.14403Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

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The research article discusses how short-term transportation stress affects insulin and oral sugar responses in horses, both those with insulin dysregulation (unbalanced insulin levels in the body) and those without. The researchers sought to determine if there were any noteworthy differences between these two groups post-transport.

Objective

  • The primary aim of this study is to establish how short-term transportation impacts stress parameters and insulin responses to an oral sugar test (OST) in horses with and without insulin dysregulation (ID).

Methodology

  • They conducted a longitudinal cohort study involving fourteen adult, non-pregnant mares (female horses) of mixed light breeds without Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID). The horses were classified into two groups: those with insulin dysregulation (ID) and non-ID, based on endocrine tests.
  • The horses were transported, in groups of 3-4, on a round-trip journey of about 1.5 hours once over two weeks.
  • The researchers collected blood and saliva samples 24 hours and 1 hour before transportation, immediately after unloading, and again 15 minutes, 1 hour, 3 hours, and 24 hours post-transportation.
  • An oral sugar test (OST) was conducted 24 hours before transportation and 3 hours afterwards. They collected two samples for this; one before the test (T0) and one an hour after they administered the test (T60).
  • They measured the heart rates and rectal temperatures of the horses throughout their study.
  • They assessed insulin, cortisol, and plasma glucose levels using validated assays.

Findings

  • The mean insulin level was significantly higher in ID horses compared to non-ID horses. Moreover, the study found that the mean serum insulin increased after the sugar test in ID horses both before and after transportation.
  • Notably, non-ID horses also demonstrated a mean OST T60 insulin value above the threshold (45 μU/mL) for ID diagnosis after transportation.

Drawbacks and Conclusions

  • The study involved a small sample size of only mares, which may limit the generalizability of the results.
  • The timing of the oral sugar test might also have influenced the outcomes. The researchers concluded that conducting the test immediately after transportation could potentially result in inaccurate insulin dysregulation status.

Cite This Article

APA
Jacquay ET, Harris PA, Adams AA. (2024). The impact of short-term transportation stress on insulin and oral sugar responses in insulin dysregulated and non-insulin dysregulated horses. Equine Vet J. https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.14403

Publication

Equine veterinary journal
ISSN: 2042-3306
NlmUniqueID: 0173320
Country: United States
Language: English

Researcher Affiliations

Jacquay, Erica T
  • M. H. Gluck Equine Research Center, Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA.
Harris, Patricia A
  • Equine Studies Group, Waltham Petcare Science Institute, Waltham on the Wolds, Leicestershire, UK.
Adams, Amanda A
  • M. H. Gluck Equine Research Center, Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA.

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