The Contribution of Specific and Nonspecific Biomarkers in Diagnosis of Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome (EGUS) Under Field Condition.
Authors: Shawaf Turke, El-Deeb Wael M, Elgioushy Magdy
Journal: Journal of equine veterinary science
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Biomarkers for Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome Whilst gastroscopy remains the definitive diagnostic tool for EGUS, identifying reliable blood biomarkers could enable earlier detection and screening in field settings where endoscopy is impractical. Researchers compared serum levels of traditional markers (gastrin and pepsinogen) alongside inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress indicators in 30 gastroscopy-confirmed EGUS cases against 15 healthy controls. Surprisingly, gastrin and pepsinogen proved diagnostically unhelpful, showing no significant differences between groups; however, horses with EGUS demonstrated substantially elevated tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), coupled with marked oxidative stress evidenced by increased malondialdehyde and depleted antioxidant markers (total antioxidant capacity, superoxide dismutase, glutathione, and nitric oxide). Of these, malondialdehyde and TNF-α offered superior sensitivity and specificity over IL-6 for distinguishing affected horses. For practitioners managing EGUS in field conditions, these findings suggest that serum TNF-α and malondialdehyde could serve as preliminary screening tools to identify at-risk individuals warranting further investigation, though gastroscopy remains essential for definitive diagnosis and ulcer grading.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Blood testing for TNF-α, IL-6, and MDA may help identify horses at risk for EGUS before clinical signs appear, enabling earlier intervention
- •Gastrin and pepsinogen serum levels are not useful screening tools for EGUS in field conditions and should not be relied upon for diagnosis
- •Oxidative stress appears central to EGUS pathogenesis; antioxidant supplementation and management strategies reducing oxidative stress warrant investigation as preventive measures
Key Findings
- •Serum gastrin and pepsinogen levels showed nonsignificant changes in EGUS horses compared to healthy controls, limiting their diagnostic value
- •TNF-α and IL-6 were significantly elevated in EGUS horses, with TNF-α showing better sensitivity and specificity than IL-6
- •Oxidative stress biomarkers (elevated MDA, decreased TAC, SOD, GSH, and NO) were significantly altered in EGUS horses compared to controls
- •MDA and TNF-α combined with IL-6 can serve as preliminary screening biomarkers for EGUS, though gastroscopy remains the gold standard for diagnosis