Procalcitonin as a biomarker in equine chronic pneumopathies.
Authors: Barton Ann Kristin, Pelli Anna, Rieger Martin, Gehlen Heidrun
Journal: BMC veterinary research
Summary
# Procalcitonin as a biomarker in equine chronic pneumopathies Chronic respiratory disease in horses presents diagnostic challenges, particularly when distinguishing between recurrent airway obstruction (RAO), inflammatory airway disease (IAD), and chronic interstitial pneumopathy (CIP). Barton and colleagues investigated procalcitonin (PCT)—a calcitonin precursor established as a sensitive inflammatory marker in human sepsis and COPD exacerbations—as a potential biomarker for equine pneumopathies, measuring it via equine-specific ELISA in plasma and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from 64 horses stratified into healthy, RAO, IAD, and CIP groups. PCT concentrations were correlated against established clinical markers, interleukins IL-1β and IL-6 in BALF, clinical findings, and BALF cytology to assess diagnostic utility. The authors found measurable PCT in both sample types with correlations to inflammatory cytokines and clinical parameters, suggesting PCT may differentiate disease states within the chronic pneumopathy spectrum. These findings warrant further investigation into PCT as an adjunctive diagnostic tool for respiratory disease characterisation, potentially offering earlier intervention windows and more targeted management strategies for conditions currently reliant on clinical scoring and lavage cytology alone.
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Practical Takeaways
- •PCT may offer an additional diagnostic tool for differentiating between RAO, IAD, and CIP in horses with chronic respiratory disease
- •Both plasma and BALF-based PCT measurements warrant investigation as potential non-invasive or minimally invasive biomarkers for chronic equine pneumopathies
- •PCT could complement traditional clinical assessment and cytology findings to improve diagnostic accuracy and monitoring of chronic respiratory conditions
Key Findings
- •Procalcitonin (PCT) was evaluated as a biomarker for chronic pneumopathies in horses using equine-specific ELISA in 64 horses
- •PCT concentrations were measured in both plasma (n=17) and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF, n=64) and compared to established clinical markers
- •PCT concentrations were correlated with interleukins IL-1β and IL-6 in BALF, clinical findings, and BALF cytology to assess diagnostic utility