Severe hypertriglyceridaemia in clinically ill horses: diagnosis, treatment and outcome.

Summary

# Editorial Summary: Severe Hypertriglyceridaemia in Clinically Ill Horses Dunkel and McKenzie's retrospective investigation identified an unexpectedly high prevalence of severe hypertriglyceridaemia in depressed, inappetant hospitalised horses, prompting the inclusion of triglyceride measurement in their routine biochemical panels. By systematically reviewing cases of clinically ill equines presenting with elevated serum triglycerides, the authors characterised the demographic patterns, underlying conditions and clinical presentations associated with this metabolic abnormality. The research demonstrates that severe hypertriglyceridaemia frequently occurs without visible lipaemia—a crucial finding, as reliance on visual inspection alone would miss many affected cases—and identifies specific risk factors and disease associations that should alert practitioners to screen for this condition. Treatment outcomes and the reversibility of hypertriglyceridaemia in response to management interventions are discussed, emphasising the prognostic and therapeutic significance of this finding. For equine practitioners, this work underscores the importance of including triglyceride measurement in biochemical assessment of systemically ill, anorexic horses, particularly those with certain predisposing conditions, as early detection and intervention may materially influence clinical outcomes.

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Key Findings

• •Severe hypertriglyceridaemia can occur in clinically ill horses without visible lipaemia
• •Routine serum triglyceride measurement identified previously undiagnosed cases of hypertriglyceridaemia in hospital populations
• •Hypertriglyceridaemia was associated with depressed and inappetant horses presenting as emergency cases

Conditions Studied