Quantitative detection of atropine-delayed gastric emptying in the horse by the 13C-octanoic acid breath test.
Authors: Sutton D G M, Bahr A, Preston T, Cohen N D, Love S, Roussel A J
Journal: Equine veterinary journal
Summary
# Editorial Summary Delayed gastric emptying (gastroparesis) is clinically significant in horses, yet existing diagnostic methods are limited by invasiveness or radioactive requirements, prompting investigation of the 13C-octanoic acid breath test as a practical alternative. Researchers administered either atropine (0.035 mg/kg intravenously) or saline to eight horses in randomised order, measuring gastric emptying concurrently using radioscintigraphy and the breath test to validate whether the non-invasive method could reliably detect pathological delay. Atropine treatment significantly prolonged gastric half-emptying time with no overlap between control and treatment confidence intervals (P < 0.001), and breath test results correlated significantly with scintigraphy for both half-emptying time (P < 0.01) and lag phase duration (P < 0.05), though with a mean bias of 1.78 hours. For equine practitioners, this validates the breath test as a quantifiable, non-radioactive, non-invasive tool requiring minimal equipment—a meaningful advance for identifying horses with delayed emptying that might otherwise require more complex investigation or remain undiagnosed. The technique warrants consideration for routine clinical use in cases of suspected gastric dysmotility, particularly where non-invasive assessment could guide nutritional or pharmacological intervention before complications develop.
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Practical Takeaways
- •The 13C-octanoic acid breath test provides a practical, field-friendly alternative to radioscintigraphy for diagnosing delayed gastric emptying in horses without radiation exposure or complex equipment
- •This test can reliably detect medication-induced gastroparesis and other causes of delayed gastric emptying, supporting clinical diagnosis of gastric dysfunction
- •Consider this non-invasive diagnostic modality for horses with signs of gastric dysfunction where delayed emptying is suspected, enabling earlier intervention and treatment
Key Findings
- •The 13C-octanoic acid breath test significantly correlated with radioscintigraphy for measuring gastric emptying in horses (P < 0.01 for half-emptying time, P < 0.05 for lag phase)
- •Atropine treatment (0.035 mg/kg IV) caused significant delay in gastric emptying with no overlap in 99% confidence intervals between control and treated groups (P < 0.001)
- •Mean bias in breath test half-emptying time compared to scintigraphy was 1.78 ± 0.58 hours
- •The 13C-octanoic acid breath test is noninvasive, non-radioactive, quantitative and requires minimal equipment, offering practical advantages over existing diagnostic methods