Evaluation of Plasmatic Procalcitonin in Healthy, and in Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS) Negative or Positive Colic Horses.
Authors: Nocera Irene, Bonelli Francesca, Vitale Valentina, Meucci Valentina, Conte Giuseppe, Jose-Cunilleras Eduard, Gracia-Calvo Luis Alfonso, Sgorbini Micaela
Journal: Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
Summary
# Editorial Summary Procalcitonin (PCT) is an emerging inflammatory biomarker in equine medicine, with previous research suggesting elevated levels in systemic disease, yet its clinical utility in colic—where systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) significantly impacts prognosis—remains unclear. Nocera and colleagues recruited 91 horses (43 healthy controls and 48 colic cases stratified as SIRS-negative or SIRS-positive based on a standardised scoring system incorporating mucous membrane colour and blood lactate) and measured plasma PCT concentrations at admission and serially through 96 hours using an equine-specific assay. Plasma PCT concentrations were statistically significantly elevated in all colic horses compared with healthy controls across all time points, with SIRS-positive colic horses showing higher levels than SIRS-negative cases, demonstrating that PCT responds to the inflammatory burden associated with colic. Notably, however, PCT values showed no correlation with SIRS scores at admission, suggesting the two parameters measure different aspects of systemic inflammation. For practitioners, whilst PCT appears valuable as a biomarker to distinguish colic horses from healthy populations and may help risk-stratify cases, it should be considered a complement to rather than replacement for traditional SIRS scoring and clinical assessment in determining disease severity and prognosis.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Plasma PCT elevation appears useful as a biochemical indicator of colic in horses, potentially helping differentiate colicky from healthy animals
- •PCT does not correlate with SIRS scoring criteria, so it should be interpreted alongside clinical examination and other laboratory findings rather than as a replacement for SIRS assessment
- •Serial PCT measurements over 96 hours may help track inflammatory progression in colic cases, though clinical outcome data would strengthen its practical utility
Key Findings
- •Plasma procalcitonin (PCT) concentrations were statistically significantly higher in colic horses compared to healthy horses across all sampling timepoints (admission, 24h, 48h, 72h, 96h)
- •Statistically significant differences in PCT were detected between healthy horses and both SIRS-negative and SIRS-positive colic horses at all sampling times
- •No correlation was observed between SIRS score at admission and PCT values, suggesting PCT and SIRS score measure different aspects of inflammatory response
- •PCT demonstrated potential as a biomarker for colic in equine patients