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Veterinary clinical pathology2022; 52(2); 261-270; doi: 10.1111/vcp.13181

Transient increases in glutamate dehydrogenase (GLDH) activity occur in neonatal foals.

Abstract: Liver analyte measurement is important in the evaluation of sick animals. Liver injury in horses is recognized by increased glutamate dehydrogenase (GLDH), sorbitol dehydrogenase (SDH), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities, whereas biliary pathology is identified by increased alkaline phosphatase and γ-glutamyl transferase (GGT) activities or bilirubin concentrations. We have observed high GLDH, but not SDH, activities in neonatal foals admitted for conditions other than liver disease. Only one previous study have evaluated GLDH activity over time in healthy neonatal foals; however, SDH activity was not measured. Objective: We aimed to evaluate changes in liver analytes in neonatal foals over time. Methods: We measured serum liver analytes (GLDH, SDH, GGT, AST, total, direct, and indirect bilirubin) and creatine kinase activity of 11 clinically healthy foals before and at various times after suckling until 46 days of age. Analytes were also measured in colostrum and mare serum. Results: Median GLDH activities increased after birth to peak at 3-4 days of age (106 U/L, reference interval, 0-8 U/L). Median SDH activities had a lower peak at 3-4 days (15 U/L, reference interval, 0-11 U/L) and were frequently discordant with GLDH. There was no association between foal and mare serum or colostral enzyme activities. AST activity plateaued at 5-6 days, whereas GGT activity and total and indirect bilirubin concentrations peaked at 14 and 3-4 days of age, respectively. Conclusions: Transient increases in GLDH, SDH, and GGT activities and total and indirect bilirubin concentrations occur in clinically healthy neonatal foals and do not necessarily indicate relevant liver disease.
© 2022 American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology.
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Publication Date: 2022-11-28 PubMed ID: 36443639DOI: 10.1111/vcp.13181Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

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The research study found that temporary increases in levels of certain liver analytes, specifically glutamate dehydrogenase (GLDH), sorbitol dehydrogenase (SDH), and γ-glutamyl transferase (GGT), as well as total and indirect bilirubin concentrations, can occur in healthy newborn foals and do not always indicate significant liver disease.

Background of the Study

  • In the veterinary field, certain enzymes and chemical substances in the liver are often measured to assess the health of animals, especially when dealing with liver disease. Among these, increased activities of glutamate dehydrogenase (GLDH), sorbitol dehydrogenase (SDH), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) suggest liver injury, while increased alkaline phosphatase and γ-glutamyl transferase (GGT) activities and heightened bilirubin concentrations imply biliary pathology.
  • The researchers had recorded an increased GLDH activity in newborn foals, although SDH activities were not elevated. There was only one prior study examining GLDH over time in healthy newborn foals, but it didn’t measure SDH activity.

Objective and Methodology

  • This research aimed to understand the changes in these liver enzymes and substances in healthy newborn foals over time. To accomplish this, serum liver analytes including GLDH, SDH, GGT, AST, total, direct, and indirect bilirubin were measured in 11 clinically healthy foals at various stages after birth up to 46 days. Levels of these analytes were also checked in colostrum and mare serum.

Research Findings

  • At 3-4 days of age, GLDH activities peaked (106 U/L), which is notably higher than the reference interval of 0-8 U/L. SDH also peaked at the same time, but at a lower level (15 U/L).
  • There was no correlation found between the foal and mare serum or colostral enzyme activities.
  • AST activity leveled off at 5-6 days, while GGT activity and total and indirect bilirubin concentrations peaked at 14 days and 3-4 days of age, respectively.

Conclusions

  • What was discovered in the study is that temporary increases in enzyme activities of GLDH, SDH, and GGT, and total and indirect bilirubin concentrations, do happen in healthy newborn foals. This suggests that these increases do not necessarily indicate significant liver disease. Therefore, these findings might have implications for diagnosing liver disease in foals. The detection of such increases should be evaluated further before making a diagnosis of liver disease.

Cite This Article

APA
Hoffman M, Cheong SH, Stokol T. (2022). Transient increases in glutamate dehydrogenase (GLDH) activity occur in neonatal foals. Vet Clin Pathol, 52(2), 261-270. https://doi.org/10.1111/vcp.13181

Publication

Veterinary clinical pathology
ISSN: 1939-165X
NlmUniqueID: 9880575
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 52
Issue: 2
Pages: 261-270

Researcher Affiliations

Hoffman, Martha
  • Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA.
Cheong, Soon Hon
  • Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA.
Stokol, Tracy
  • Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Horses
  • Female
  • Glutamate Dehydrogenase
  • Liver Diseases / veterinary
  • Bilirubin
  • Aspartate Aminotransferases
  • Horse Diseases

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Citations

This article has been cited 1 times.
  1. Wilkins PA, Wong D, Slovis NM, Collins N, Barr BS, MacKenzie C, De Solis CN, Castagnetti C, Mariella J, Burns T, Perkins G, Delvescovo B, Sanchez LC, Kemper AM, Magdesian KG, Bedenice D, Taylor SD, Gold J, Dunkel B, Pranzo G, Constable PD. The Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome and Predictors of Infection and Mortality in 1068 Critically Ill Newborn Foals. J Vet Intern Med 2025 Mar-Apr;39(2):e70004.
    doi: 10.1111/jvim.70004pubmed: 40091577google scholar: lookup
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