Salivary alpha-amylase activity and cortisol in horses with acute abdominal disease: a pilot study.
Authors: Contreras-Aguilar María Dolores, Escribano Damián, Martín-Cuervo María, Tecles Fernando, Cerón Jose Joaquín
Journal: BMC veterinary research
Summary
# Editorial Summary Acute abdominal disease in horses triggers a cascade of physiological stress responses, yet non-invasive biomarkers that reflect sympathetic nervous system activation and pain-induced stress remain underutilised in clinical practice. Contreras-Aguilar and colleagues conducted a pilot prospective study comparing salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) and salivary cortisol concentrations between horses presenting with acute abdomen syndrome and healthy controls, using unpaired t-tests for group comparisons and Spearman correlations to examine relationships with established pain and systemic markers including the Equine Acute Abdominal Pain Scale version 1, heart rate, respiratory rate, plasma lactate, SIRS score, and serum amyloid A. Although specific numerical findings are not detailed in the abstract, the research framework demonstrates that salivary biomarkers—particularly sAA as a marker of SNS activity—show promise as non-invasive indicators of pain-induced stress in acute colics, with potential correlations to conventional clinical parameters. For farriers, physiotherapists and coaches involved in equine welfare monitoring, these findings suggest that saliva-based stress assessments could complement traditional vital sign measurements and pain scoring systems, offering a practical tool for objective stress quantification without the invasiveness of blood sampling. Further investigation with larger cohorts and published effect sizes would clarify whether salivary biomarkers could become routine adjuncts to acute abdomen assessment protocols in practice.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Salivary biomarkers offer a non-invasive method to assess stress and pain severity in horses with acute abdominal disease, potentially reducing handling stress during clinical assessment
- •Combining salivary alpha-amylase and cortisol with established pain scales and vital signs may provide a more comprehensive evaluation of acute abdominal pain in clinical practice
- •Further research with larger sample sizes is needed before these biomarkers can be routinely incorporated into emergency colic assessment protocols
Key Findings
- •Salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) and salivary cortisol were evaluated as non-invasive biomarkers for stress and sympathetic nervous system activity in horses with acute abdominal disease
- •Both biomarkers were compared between acute abdomen cases and healthy control horses using statistical analysis
- •Correlations were assessed between salivary biomarkers and clinical pain scales (EAAPS-1), vital signs (HR, RR), plasma lactate, SIRS score, and serum amyloid A concentration