Equine Asthma: Current Understanding and Future Directions.
Authors: Couetil Laurent, Cardwell Jacqueline M, Leguillette Renaud, Mazan Melissa, Richard Eric, Bienzle Dorothee, Bullone Michela, Gerber Vinzenz, Ivester Kathleen, Lavoie Jean-Pierre, Martin James, Moran Gabriel, Niedźwiedź Artur, Pusterla Nicola, Swiderski Cyprianna
Journal: Frontiers in veterinary science
Summary
# Equine Asthma: Current Understanding and Future Directions A 2019 Havemeyer Workshop convened leading researchers and practitioners to synthesise current knowledge on equine asthma and identify critical gaps in understanding, drawing parallels with the more extensively characterised human disease to improve diagnostic and therapeutic approaches in horses. The consensus review examined infectious and non-infectious aetiologies, genetic predisposition, and proposed pathophysiological mechanisms, whilst acknowledging that field practitioners currently lack adequate diagnostic tools and biomarkers to differentiate between distinct asthma phenotypes and endotypes. Key findings highlighted the absence of standardised, accessible diagnostics as a major limitation preventing identification of specific disease presentations and their underlying mechanisms—a shortfall that directly impairs the development of targeted management and treatment protocols tailored to individual phenotypes. The workshop's primary recommendation was the establishment of the Equine Asthma Group, a collaborative platform designed to bridge the gap between clinical practice and research through published, accessible guidelines and coordinated research initiatives. For equine professionals, this consensus document signals an evolving framework that should inform clinical decision-making whilst emphasising the value of detailed clinical phenotyping and the importance of contributing to larger research efforts that will eventually enable more precision-based approaches to asthma management.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Current diagnostic options for asthma are limited in the field—expect improved, more accessible tests in the coming years as the Equine Asthma Group develops standardized guidelines.
- •Asthma in horses has multiple causes (infectious, non-infectious, genetic); management strategies should be tailored based on individual phenotype rather than assuming one-size-fits-all approaches.
- •Work with your veterinarian to stay updated on emerging diagnostic markers and phenotype-specific treatments as this field rapidly evolves through improved research-practice collaboration.
Key Findings
- •Current diagnostic tools for equine asthma are limited and not standardized, restricting field practitioners' ability to identify specific disease phenotypes and endotypes.
- •Equine asthma involves both infectious and non-infectious causes with genetic factors contributing to disease pathophysiology, similar to human asthma phenotypes.
- •There is a critical gap between research advances and practical clinical diagnostics available to working veterinarians for targeted asthma management.
- •The Equine Asthma Group was established to improve communication between research and clinical practice communities through accessible guidelines and collaborative research.