Clinical Research Abstracts of the British Equine Veterinary Association Congress 2015.
Authors: Bardell D A, Archer D C, Milner P I
Journal: Equine veterinary journal
Summary
# Editorial Summary Small intestinal strangulation in horses triggers ischaemia–reperfusion injury, overwhelming the body's antioxidant defences and potentially influencing survival outcomes; this case-control study measured peripheral antioxidant markers in six colic horses requiring exploratory laparotomy and compared them with healthy controls. Using spectrophotometric analysis, researchers quantified plasma glutathione species and antioxidant enzyme activity, revealing that glutathione reductase (GR) activity was significantly diminished in strangulation cases (12.2 ± 1.1 u/l versus 15.9 ± 0.8 u/l; P = 0.03), whilst glutathione peroxidase activity and total glutathione levels showed no significant difference between groups. Notably, GR activity correlated strongly with arterial blood gas parameters—positively with calcium and potassium ions, but inversely with bicarbonate and partial pressure of CO₂—suggesting that compromised antioxidant capacity is linked to the metabolic derangements characteristic of severe colic. Although limited by small sample size, these findings implicate impaired glutathione recycling as a measurable indicator of oxidative stress in strangulation cases, potentially offering a biochemical marker to monitor disease severity and therapeutic intervention efficacy in clinical settings.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Reduced plasma glutathione reductase activity appears to indicate oxidative stress in horses with small intestinal strangulation, which may influence prognosis and survival outcomes
- •Electrolyte and acid-base abnormalities (particularly bicarbonate and PaCO2) correlate with antioxidant enzyme activity in colic cases, suggesting monitoring these parameters may be clinically relevant
- •Antioxidant status may represent a measurable biomarker for oxidative stress severity in small intestinal strangulation cases, potentially aiding prognostic assessment
Key Findings
- •Glutathione reductase (GR) activity was significantly reduced in horses with strangulating small intestinal lesions compared to controls (12.2 ± 1.1 u/l vs. 15.9 ± 0.8 u/l, P = 0.03)
- •Glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity did not significantly differ between colic and control horses (155.7 ± 48.7 u/l vs. 167.3 ± 30.1 u/l, P = 0.84)
- •Strong positive correlation existed between GR activity and calcium and potassium levels, with strong negative correlation to bicarbonate and PaCO2
- •Reduced GR activity indicates oxidative stress in small intestinal strangulation and may relate to systemic electrolyte and acid-base abnormalities