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Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2023; 13(11); doi: 10.3390/ani13111823

The Impact of Two Recommended Withholding Periods for Omeprazole and the Use of a Nutraceutical Supplement on Recurrence of Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome in Thoroughbred Racehorses.

Abstract: The impact of recommended withholding periods (RWPs) for omeprazole on the recurrence of Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome (EGUS) is unknown. The study was designed to compare the effect of two RWPs on EGUS recurrence post-omeprazole treatment and to determine if a nutraceutical supplement would reduce EGUS recurrence when administrated during an RWP. The study was a blinded, randomized clinical trial. Part 1: Horses were allocated to an RWP0 or RWP2 and crossed over after 4-weeks. Horses received oral omeprazole once daily, except during the RWPs at the end of the treatment periods. Part 2: Horses received omeprazole for 21 days prior to an RWP2 during which they received a nutraceutical supplement. Gastroscopy was performed on Day 0 and pre- and post- RWP. Part 1: More horses were affected by Equine Squamous Gastric Disease (ESGD) after the '2-clear-days' RWP than the 'not on race-day' RWP (p = 0.012). The prevalence of ESGD post-RWP for '2-clear-days' did not differ from day 0 (p = 0.478). Part 2: The prevalence of ESGD post-RWP was lower than on Day 0 (p = 0.046). A difference in recurrence of ESGD was present between the two common RWPs. The implications of this on the welfare of Thoroughbred racehorses warrant further discussion.
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Publication Date: 2023-05-31 PubMed ID: 37889700PubMed Central: PMC10251805DOI: 10.3390/ani13111823Google Scholar: Lookup
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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 different Recommended Withholding Periods (RWPs) for a drug called omeprazole affect the recurrence of Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome (EGUS) in racehorses. The study also tests if a certain supplement can reduce the risk of EGUS recurrence during an RWP. They found differences in the recurrence of a certain type of EGUS, calling for more exploration on the implications this has for horses’ welfare.

Summary of the Research

This study focuses on two primary areas:

  • The influence of different Recommended Withholding Periods (RWPs) for omeprazole (a medication used to treat EGUS) on the recurrence of the disease in Thoroughbred racehorses.
  • The potential effect of incorporating a nutraceutical supplement during the RWP on reducing the risk of EGUS recurrence.

The inquiry consisted of a random, controlled, and blinded clinical trial with two main parts.

Part 1: Investigating Recommended Withholding Periods

In the first portion of the study:

  • Horses were divided into two groups: those whose dose was withheld on the day of the race (RWP0), and those whose treatment was withheld two days prior to racing (RWP2). After 4 weeks, treatment protocols were switched for each group.
  • With the exception of the RWPs at the end of treatment periods, horses were given oral omeprazole daily.
  • Gastroscopies were performed before and after the RWPs to diagnose any change in EGUS condition.
  • The research found a higher occurrence of Equine Squamous Gastric Disease (ESGD), a certain manifestation of EGUS, in the horses that followed the ‘2-clear-days’ RWP than those in the ‘not on race-day’ group. However, the prevalence of ESGD after the ‘2-clear-days’ RWP was not found to be significantly different from the initial day 0 of the study.

Part 2: Testing a Nutraceutical Supplement

In the second part of the study:

  • The horses received omeprazole for 21 days before implementing the ‘2-clear-days’ RWP, during which the horses were given the nutraceutical supplement.
  • When testing the prevalence of ESGD after the RWP, it was proved to be lower than at the initiation of the study.

Conclusion and Implications

There was a found difference in the recurrence of ESGD depending on which of the two common RWPs was followed. Moreover, the use of a nutraceutical supplement in the ‘2-clear-days’ RWP reduced the prevalence of ESGD compared to initial testing prior to treatment.

These findings suggest that the effect of RWPs and the addition of supplements on the recurrence of EGUS and its subtypes need further exploration. The implications of these differences on the welfare of Thoroughbred racehorses are also called into question, underlining the need for further discussion in the field.

Cite This Article

APA
Shan R, Steel CM, Sykes B. (2023). The Impact of Two Recommended Withholding Periods for Omeprazole and the Use of a Nutraceutical Supplement on Recurrence of Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome in Thoroughbred Racehorses. Animals (Basel), 13(11). https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13111823

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 13
Issue: 11

Researcher Affiliations

Shan, Ran
  • Department of Veterinary Clinical Services, The Hong Kong Jockey Club, Conghua Racecourse, Guangzhou 510900, China.
Steel, Catherine M
  • Department of Veterinary Clinical Services, The Hong Kong Jockey Club, Conghua Racecourse, Guangzhou 510900, China.
Sykes, Ben
  • School of Veterinary Sciences, Massey University, Private Bag, 11-222, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand.

Conflict of Interest Statement

R. Shan and C.M. Steel are employees of the Hong Kong Jockey Club. B.W. Sykes is a consultant to the Hong Kong Jockey Club. B.W. Sykes also has commercial agreements (current or recent) with Kelato, Equestra Australia and Abbey Vets Australia all of whom have products relating to gastric health within their portfolios. Kelato are the manufacturer of the nutraceutical studied in Part 2.

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Citations

This article has been cited 4 times.
  1. Vokes JR, Gedye KR, Lovett AL, de Kantzow MC, Shan R, Steel CM, Sykes BW. Evaluation of Two Commercial ELISA Kits for Measuring Equine Serum Gastrin Compared to Radioimmunoassay. Animals (Basel) 2024 Oct 11;14(20).
    doi: 10.3390/ani14202937pubmed: 39457867google scholar: lookup
  2. Campbell MLH, Sykes BW. Should the use of omeprazole be allowed during equestrian competition?. Equine Vet J 2025 May;57(3):555-562.
    doi: 10.1111/evj.14129pubmed: 38994580google scholar: lookup
  3. Busechian S, Orvieto S, Nocera I, Rueca F. Presence of Gastric Ulcers in Horses Used for Historical Races in Italy. Animals (Basel) 2024 Apr 22;14(8).
    doi: 10.3390/ani14081247pubmed: 38672395google scholar: lookup
  4. Vokes J, Lovett A, Sykes B. Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome: An Update on Current Knowledge. Animals (Basel) 2023 Apr 5;13(7).
    doi: 10.3390/ani13071261pubmed: 37048517google scholar: lookup
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