Assessment of Age Effects on Ovarian Hemodynamics Using Doppler Ultrasound and Progesterone Concentrations in Cycling Spanish Purebred Mares.
Authors: Requena Francisco, Campos María Joana A P M, Martínez Marín Andrés Luis, Camacho Rocío, Giráldez-Pérez Rosa M, Agüera Estrella I
Journal: Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
Summary
# Editorial Summary Accurate identification of ovulation timing remains crucial for equine breeding programmes, and Power Doppler ultrasound offers a non-invasive means of monitoring ovarian function throughout the oestral cycle. Researchers compared ultrasonographic parameters—including follicular diameter, follicular blood flow (FBF), corpus luteum area, and corpus luteum blood flow (CLBF)—alongside progesterone concentrations in 30 Spanish Purebred mares stratified by age (15 under 8 years; 15 aged 8 years and older), using image analysis software to quantify vascular perfusion. Younger mares demonstrated significantly elevated FBF and CLBF alongside higher plasma progesterone levels, with regression analysis revealing that CLBF could predict circulating progesterone with moderate precision and accuracy in both age groups. These findings suggest that advancing age materially affects ovarian haemodynamic function and endocrine output in mares, which may have implications for fertility assessment and breeding management in older animals. Whilst Power Doppler ultrasound shows promise as a clinical tool for evaluating reproductive status, practitioners should be aware that age-related vascular changes may influence interpretation, and further refinement of predictive models is needed before progesterone levels can be reliably estimated from CLBF measurements alone.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Age significantly affects ovarian hemodynamics in mares—expect reduced blood flow and progesterone levels in mares ≥8 years old, which may influence reproductive management decisions
- •Power Doppler ultrasound is a practical non-invasive tool for monitoring estral cycle status and timing ovulation, with potential to predict progesterone levels from luteal blood flow measurements
- •Consider age when interpreting Doppler ultrasound findings and progesterone data during estrous cycle management in breeding programs
Key Findings
- •Young mares (<8 years) had significantly higher follicular blood flow (FBF) and corpus luteum blood flow (CLBF) compared to older mares (≥8 years)
- •Plasma progesterone levels were significantly higher in young mares, correlating with age-related hemodynamic changes
- •Power Doppler ultrasound with Image Colour Summarizer software enabled quantification of ovarian blood flow with moderate precision for progesterone prediction
- •CLBF measurements could predict blood progesterone concentrations in both age groups with moderate accuracy, though high-precision models require further development