Association of aldosterone and arginine vasopressin concentrations and clinical markers of hypoperfusion in neonatal foals.
Authors: Dembek K A, Hurcombe S D, Stewart A J, Barr B S, MacGillivray K C, Kinee M, Elam J, Toribio R E
Journal: Equine veterinary journal
Summary
# Editorial Summary Critically ill neonatal foals frequently develop impaired organ perfusion, which manifests as elevated blood lactate concentrations and indicates inadequate tissue oxygen delivery. Dembek and colleagues investigated the relationship between two key neuroendocrine hormones—aldosterone and arginine vasopressin (AVP)—and clinical markers of hypoperfusion in sick foals, examining whether these hormonal responses correlate with blood lactate levels and severity of illness in this vulnerable population. The researchers measured plasma concentrations of aldosterone, AVP, and L-lactate in critically ill neonatal foals alongside traditional clinical assessment parameters to determine whether hormonal compensation reflected the degree of perfusion deficit. Findings demonstrated significant associations between aldosterone and AVP concentrations and L-lactate levels, suggesting these hormones are indeed mobilised as physiological responses to hypoperfusion in sick foals and may serve as additional markers of disease severity. For equine practitioners, these results indicate that measuring neuroendocrine markers alongside lactate concentrations could refine assessment of organ perfusion status in critically ill foals and potentially improve prognostic accuracy beyond lactate values alone, though further work is needed to establish whether serial monitoring of these hormones can guide therapeutic interventions.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Monitor blood L-lactate and neurohormonal responses (aldosterone and AVP) in critically ill foals to assess severity of hypoperfusion and guide treatment decisions for organ perfusion support
- •Understanding the relationship between these biomarkers may help predict disease severity and clinical outcomes in neonatal foals presenting with critical illness
- •Electrolyte management and blood pressure support are critical interventions when these compensatory mechanisms are activated in foal critical care
Key Findings
- •Aldosterone and arginine vasopressin are released as compensatory mechanisms in response to low blood pressure and electrolyte abnormalities in critically ill neonatal foals
- •Blood L-lactate concentrations can be used as a marker of impaired organ perfusion and severity of disease in neonatal foals
- •The study investigates the association between aldosterone/AVP concentrations and L-lactate as clinical markers of hypoperfusion in critically ill foals