Early changes in biomarkers of skeletal metabolism and their association to the occurrence of osteochondrosis (OC) in the horse.
Authors: Donabédian M, van Weeren P R, Perona G, Fleurance G, Robert C, Léger S, Bergero D, Lepage O, Martin-Rosset W
Journal: Equine veterinary journal
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Biomarkers and Osteochondrosis Risk in Foals Osteochondrosis remains a significant developmental orthopaedic disease in young horses, yet early diagnosis relies on clinical signs and radiography—methods that detect lesions only after they've formed. Donabédian and colleagues investigated whether serum biomarkers of bone and cartilage metabolism could identify foals at risk of OC before radiographic changes became apparent, following 39 foals from birth to 12 months on either high or moderate feeding planes and measuring four key biomarkers (osteocalcin, CTX-1, CPII and C2C) at eight time points. Whilst feeding level did not influence biomarker concentrations, osteocalcin measured at just 2 weeks of age and the CPII/C2C ratio at 20 weeks showed strong positive correlations with OC subsequently diagnosed radiographically at 5.5 months, suggesting that accelerated bone anabolism in early post-partum life may predispose to OC development. For practitioners, early osteocalcin measurement—a relatively straightforward serum assay—offers potential as a non-invasive screening tool to identify at-risk foals, enabling targeted management strategies (nutritional adjustment, exercise modification, closer monitoring) during the critical first weeks of life when lesion formation occurs.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Early serum osteocalcin measurement (at 2 weeks of age) could identify foals at higher risk for OC development, allowing for targeted management interventions
- •Feeding level (within moderate to high ranges) does not appear to influence biomarker patterns, suggesting OC risk factors may be independent of nutrition in this context
- •Serial biomarker monitoring during the first 5 months of life may support earlier diagnosis and intervention before clinical signs or radiographic lesions become apparent
Key Findings
- •Osteocalcin concentration at 2 weeks post partum had strong positive correlation with radiographically detected OC at 5.5 months
- •CPII/C2C ratio at 20 weeks showed strong positive correlation with OC diagnosed at 5.5 months but not at 11 months
- •Biomarker concentrations showed markedly higher metabolism before age 20 weeks but were not affected by feeding level (high vs. moderate)
- •Osteocalcin at 2 weeks may have predictive value for risk assessment of OC development in juvenile horses