Use of diagnostic reports to estimate prevalence and distribution of skeletal lesions in young Thoroughbreds.
Abstract: Diagnostic reports written to assist stud managers in the sale of young Thoroughbreds have not previously been used as a data source for the study of skeletal lesions. However, analyses of these reports may provide efficient and cost-effective insights into the prevalence and distribution of skeletal lesions within a population. Diagnostic reports written by veterinarians were acquired from Thoroughbred stud managers in Australia and New Zealand. The reports were based on approximately 1300 sets of weanling and yearling radiographs taken between 2002 and 2007. The prevalence and anatomical distribution of skeletal lesions in weanlings (299 horses) and yearlings (1004 horses) were determined from these reports. Overall, 69.9% of weanlings and 64.5% of yearlings were reported as having one or more skeletal lesions. Diagnostic reports in weanlings were a strong indication of what was likely to be seen in subsequent yearling reports. These diagnostic reports are typically used by stud managers in the sales process and the potential drawback is that some categories of skeletal lesions may be under-reported. However, there was substantial agreement between the prevalence and distribution of several skeletal lesions reported in this study and those previously reported from direct evaluation of radiographs for Australian and New Zealand Thoroughbred yearlings. Strong agreement was found for osteophytes, enthesiophytes and other modelling in the hocks, and for lesions in the hind fetlocks and stifles. This indicates that written diagnostic reports are a useful and a reliable source of data for the study of some skeletal lesions in young Thoroughbred horses.
Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2016-03-31 PubMed ID: 27387729DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2016.03.022Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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This research article explores the use of veterinary diagnostic reports as a data source for studying the prevalence of skeletal lesions in young Thoroughbred horses. The study shows that these reports can provide reliable insights into the distribution and density of such lesions in large populations of young horses.
Research Objective
- The objective of the study was to unlock a previously disregarded source of data for the study of skeletal lesions in young Thoroughbreds. The researchers hypothesized that diagnostic reports written by veterinarians for stud managers might provide valuable insights into the prevalence and distribution of skeletal lesions within a population.
Research Methodology
- The researchers acquired diagnostic reports written by veterinarians from stud managers in Australia and New Zealand. About 1300 sets of radiographs taken between 2002 and 2007 formed the basis of these reports.
- The researchers then analyzed these reports to determine the prevalence and anatomical distribution of skeletal lesions in weanlings (299 horses) and yearlings (1004 horses).
Major Findings
- From the diagnostic reports, it was found that 69.9% of weanlings and 64.5% of yearlings were reported as having one or more skeletal lesions.
- The reports showed that skeletal lesions detected in weanlings were an accurate predictor of lesions found in yearlings.
- Despite fears that traumatic lesions could be under-reported (since diagnostic reports were originally intended for sales rather than research), the study found substantial agreement between the prevalence and distribution of several skeletal lesions reported in this study and previous studies based on direct radiographic evaluation.
- Strong correlation was found particularly for specific lesions such as osteophytes, enthesiophytes and other modelling in the hocks, and lesions in the hind fetlocks and stifles.
Conclusion
- The study concluded that vet-written diagnostic reports are a reliable data source for the study of skeletal lesions in young Thoroughbred horses. This method is also cost-effective and efficient since it repurposes existing data.
Cite This Article
APA
Axling JM, Castle K, Velie BD, Tammen I, Thomson PC, Hamilton NA, Raadsma HW, Lindgren G, Jeffcott LB, Nicholas FW.
(2016).
Use of diagnostic reports to estimate prevalence and distribution of skeletal lesions in young Thoroughbreds.
Vet J, 214, 72-76.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tvjl.2016.03.022 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden.
- Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden. Electronic address: brandon.velie@slu.se.
- Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
- Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
- Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
- Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden.
- Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
- Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Australia / epidemiology
- Bone Diseases / diagnosis
- Bone Diseases / epidemiology
- Bone Diseases / pathology
- Bone Diseases / veterinary
- Female
- Horse Diseases / diagnosis
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horse Diseases / pathology
- Horses
- Male
- New Zealand / epidemiology
- Prevalence
- Radiography / veterinary
Citations
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