Insulin, but not adiponectin, is detectable in equine saliva using an automated, commercial assay.
Authors: Barnabé Marine A, Elliott Jonathan, Harris Patricia A, Menzies-Gow Nicola J
Journal: Equine veterinary journal
Summary
# Editorial Summary Insulin and adiponectin are key biomarkers in equine endocrinopathic laminitis screening, yet current measurement requires jugular venipuncture—a procedure that induces stress in some horses and proves impractical in needle-shy individuals. Barnabé and colleagues investigated whether a commercially available automated saliva assay could reliably detect these hormones in equine saliva, having established the feasibility of salivary hormone measurement in other species. The automated assay successfully detected insulin in equine saliva samples, demonstrating sufficient sensitivity and reproducibility for potential clinical application; adiponectin, however, remained undetectable despite optimisation attempts. These findings open a non-invasive alternative pathway for insulin measurement in horses where venipuncture is contraindicated or problematic, though practitioners should recognise that adiponectin assessment will continue to require serum collection if dual-marker evaluation is clinically indicated. Further validation work will be needed to establish reference ranges and assess correlation between salivary and serum insulin concentrations before widespread adoption in practice.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Salivary insulin testing may provide a viable non-invasive screening option for horses with suspected insulin dysregulation or endocrinopathic laminitis risk
- •Current commercial assays cannot reliably measure adiponectin in saliva, so serum/plasma remains necessary for adiponectin assessment
- •This method could improve compliance in difficult-to-handle horses or those with needle anxiety by eliminating venipuncture stress
Key Findings
- •Insulin is detectable in equine saliva using automated commercial assay, offering a non-invasive alternative to venipuncture
- •Adiponectin is not detectable in equine saliva using the same commercial assay methodology
- •Salivary insulin measurement could reduce animal stress by eliminating need for jugular venipuncture in needle-shy individuals