Intradermal Testing Results in Horses Affected by Mild-Moderate and Severe Equine Asthma

Abstract

Equine asthma is an inflammatory respiratory disorder, classified as mild-moderate (MEA) and severe (SEA). SEA is characterized by recurrent exacerbations, consisting of dyspnea, coughing and exercise intolerance; MEA causes poor performance, occasional cough and mucus hypersecretion. Although a precise pathogenesis is not completely understood, allergic mechanisms are considered an important pathophysiological feature of equine asthma. In equine medicine, intradermal testing (IDT) is effective in identifying hypersensitivity to specific allergens. However, to date, the studies about IDT in asthmatic horses obtained contradictory results. This study aims to evaluate IDT responses in MEA and SEA horses and to identify the most significant allergens. Thirty-eight asthmatic horses were enrolled and underwent IDT using 50 allergens; reactions were evaluated at 30 min, 4, 24 and 48 h and were assigned a score from 0 to 4. In SEA horses, the most frequent and strongest reactions were observed at 30 min and 4 h, suggesting the involvement of type I hypersensitivity; in MEA horses, also type IV hypersensitivity seemed to play a major role. Insects, Dermatophagoides spp. and dog epithelium induced in MEA and SEA horses the most significant hypersensitivity responses and could therefore be considered as the main allergenic antigens in our geographic area.

Impact of Lower Airway Inflammation on Fitness Parameters in Standardbred Racehorses

“…In the second model, horses were divided into neutrophilic MEA, eosinophilic–mastocytic MEA, and mixed MEA groups based on the following inclusion criteria [ 15 , 29 ]: Neutrophilic MEA (n-MEA): neutrophils > 5%, eosinophils ≤ 1%, mast cells ≤ 2%; Eosinophilic–mastocytic MEA (e-MEA): neutrophils ≤ 5%, eosinophils > 1%, and/or mast cells > 2%; Mixed MEA (m-MEA): neutrophils > 5%, eosinophils > 1% and/or mast cells > 2%. …”

The Role of Thoracic Ultrasonography and Airway Endoscopy in the Diagnosis of Equine Asthma and Exercise-Induced Pulmonary Hemorrhage

“…SEA horses were selected on the basis of history of exercise intolerance, dyspnea and coughing, normal rectal temperature and neutrophils count > 5% in BALF or >20% in TW cytology [25]. For MEA horses, inclusion criteria were history of poor performance and occasional coughing, eupnea at rest, normal rectal temperature and BALF cytology consisting of neutrophils > 5%, and/or mast cells > 2% and/or eosinophils > 1% [26]. Among the MEA horses, whenever hemosiderophages were observed in the BALF cytology and represented ≥10% of total alveolar macrophage count, the patients were considered as EIPH positive [16] and therefore included in the MEA + EIPH group.…”

Equine Asthma – Update on terminology, diagnosis and therapy

“…Bisher konnten keine einheitlichen Ergebnisse für die diagnostische Aussagekraft von Allergietests beim Pferd erzielt werden (Klier et al 2021, Lo Feudo et al 2021. Daher erscheint auch der Nutzen einer Desensibilisierung oder Allergen Specific Immunotherapy (ASIT) für das Equine Asthma noch mindestens fraglich, auch wenn sie bereits kommerziell angeboten wird und Erfolgsraten von 60-85 % angegeben werden.…”

“…Weder das Thoraxröntgen noch die Sonographie werden jedoch aktuell als Schlüsselkomponenten für die Diagnostik des Equinen Asthmas eingestuft(Couëtil et al 2020). funktionellen Allergietests beim Pferd erzielt werden(Klier et al 2021, Lo Feudo et al 2021.Differentialdiagnosen zum Equinen AsthmaBei erstmalig vorgestellten Patienten stellen bakterielle Infektionen der tiefen Atemwege die wichtigste Differentialdiagnose zumDechra Veterinary Products Deutschland GmbH Rapidexon Albrecht 2 mg/ml i.v. 7,45 € gibt es einige Unterschiede auch hinsichtlich der Prognose zu beachten: MEA hat eine gute Prognose, spontan oder durch Haltungsoptimierung und eine pharmakologische Therapie auszuheilen.…”