Evaluation of a risk-screening questionnaire to detect equine lung inflammation: results of a large field study.
Authors: Wasko A J, Barkema H W, Nicol J, Fernandez N, Logie N, Léguillette R
Journal: Equine veterinary journal
Summary
# Editorial Summary Equine respiratory disease presents a diagnostic challenge: whilst bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) provides definitive evidence of airway inflammation through cellular analysis, the procedure's invasive nature limits its use as a screening tool in field settings. Wasko and colleagues developed and validated a risk-screening questionnaire (RSQ) against BAL findings in a large population-based study, assessing its capacity to identify horses with elevated inflammatory cell percentages indicative of either recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) or inflammatory airway disease (IAD). The questionnaire successfully stratified horses by inflammation risk, enabling practitioners to identify candidates most likely to benefit from BAL investigation without subjecting all horses to the procedure. For equine professionals working across diverse disciplines—particularly those managing performance horses or investigating chronic cough—this RSQ represents a practical, non-invasive preliminary assessment that can guide further diagnostic decisions and potentially inform early management strategies. This approach is particularly valuable for coaches and nutritionists working alongside veterinary teams, as it allows evidence-based identification of horses requiring closer respiratory monitoring or targeted dietary/environmental modifications.
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Practical Takeaways
- •A simple questionnaire can effectively screen for horses at risk of RAO and IAD, allowing practitioners to identify cases requiring further investigation without performing invasive BAL procedures
- •Implementing RSQ in clinical practice provides a cost-effective preliminary screening method before committing to diagnostic BAL fluid analysis
- •Early identification of at-risk horses using RSQ allows for earlier intervention and management of inflammatory airway disease
Key Findings
- •A risk-screening questionnaire (RSQ) was evaluated as a non-invasive alternative to bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) for detecting lung inflammation in horses
- •The RSQ can identify horses with increased inflammatory cell percentages in BAL fluid without requiring the invasive BAL procedure
- •Large field study demonstrated the practical application of RSQ as a screening tool for equine respiratory inflammatory conditions