Serum cortisol concentrations in horses with colic.
Authors: Mair T S, Sherlock C E, Boden L A
Journal: Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Serum Cortisol in Equine Colic Elevated cortisol concentrations mirror disease severity in horses presenting with colic, according to research by Mair and colleagues that directly parallels findings in human septic shock patients. The team measured serum total cortisol concentrations (STCCs) at admission in colic cases and healthy controls, then stratified horses by clinical parameters, lesion type and outcome to identify associations between cortisol levels and disease characteristics. Horses presenting with STCCs ≥200 nmol/L were significantly more likely to have colic than controls, and within the colic population, elevated cortisol correlated with moderate-to-severe clinical signs and tachycardia (heart rates >45 bpm) rather than mild presentations. Whilst cortisol measurement shows promise as an adjunctive prognostic marker in colic cases—potentially helping practitioners risk-stratify horses and guide treatment intensity—the authors appropriately caution that individual variation in baseline cortisol remains substantial enough to warrant further validation before clinical implementation. For equine practitioners, this suggests that markedly elevated cortisol in a colicking horse warrants serious consideration of the disease severity, though serial measurements or integrated assessment with other biomarkers may ultimately prove more informative than single-point sampling.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •A serum cortisol measurement ≥200 nmol/L in a colic horse may help identify cases with more severe systemic involvement and support clinical decision-making regarding treatment intensity
- •Elevated cortisol combined with tachycardia (>45 bpm) suggests more severe disease requiring aggressive management; however, cortisol should complement rather than replace clinical assessment
- •Wide individual variation in cortisol response means a single measurement should not be used in isolation for prognosis—serial measurements or combination with other clinical parameters may be more valuable
Key Findings
- •Horses with colic presented with significantly higher serum total cortisol concentrations (≥200 nmol/L) compared to healthy controls
- •Elevated cortisol concentrations (≥200 nmol/L) in horses with colic were associated with moderate to severe colic signs rather than mild colic
- •Horses with elevated cortisol concentrations showed higher heart rates (>45 beats per min) compared to those with lower cortisol
- •Serum cortisol may provide prognostic information in equine colic but wide individual variation limits clinical interpretation