Equine endocrinopathies 2 Flashcards
Endocrinopathic laminitis, hyperlipaemia, hyperglycaemia, obesity
What types of conditions are risk factors for laminitis?
- Pro-inflammatory conditions
- Intestinal conditions
- Endrocrinopathic conditions (glucocorticoid or insulin resistance associated)
What are the main molecular triggers for laminitis?
Insulin and endotoxins
What are the predisposing factors for lamintis?
- Obestiy
- Breed
- Insulin dysregulation
- PPID
Outline the relationship between glucocorticoids and lamiinitis
- Exogenous and endogenous
- Induce insulin resistance
- Insulin resistance leads to increased insulin and consequent laminitis
Give examples of iatrogenic causes of laminitis and how these may occur
- Triamcinolone (glucocorticoid) can lead to hyperglycaemia 3-4 days after 1 dose
- Dexamethasone can increase basal insulin and induce IR over prolonged period
- May have prolonged effects
Outline how PPID may predispose to laminitis
- Hyperadrenocorticism, increased cortisol leading to IR
- High insulin more likely to develop laminitis
Outline how EMS may predispose to laminitis
- Obesity, leads to insulin resistance
- Predisposed to laminitis
- Can be seasonal and pasture associated (seasonal obesity, lush grass spring/summer)
What factors may exacerbate the development of laminitis?
- Progression of obesity
- Diet rich in starches/sugars
- Progression of PPID
- Work on hard floors
Explain hyperinsulinaemia induced vasodilation as a trigger factor for laminitis
- Increases perfusion to the lamellar tissue
- Increases glucose delivery to hoof tissues (glucotoxicity)
- Advanced glycation end products - role in human diabetic angiopathy, may play role in laminitis
What are the effects of insulin on blood vessels?
- Balance of constriction and dilation (slight predilection for vasodilation)
- Vasodilation via nitric oxide
- Vasoconstriction via endothelin-1 (ET-1)
What are the effects of insulin resistance and corticosteroids on blood vessels?
- Reduced vasodilation
- Significant vasoconstriction
What are the vascular consequences of hyperinsulinaemia?
Vasodilation leading to glucotoxicity and angiopathy
What molecules are raised in EMS?
FFas, TNFa, interleukins and leptin
What molecule is lowered in EMS?
Adiponectin
What is the physiological role of adiponectin?
Regulates glucose metabolism and fatty acid oxidation
What is the effect of insulin resistance on adiponectin?
IR leads to decreased adiponectin activity
What environmental factor may predispose a horse to becoming insulin resistant?
Moving from bare pasture to lush spring pasture (high sugar, high calories, eat more), become obese, persistently hyperinsulinaemic so become IR
What nutritional changes may lead to a hyperinsulinaemic crisis in a horse?
- Increase in grain feeding
- Moving to a new pasture
- Rapid growth of pasture grass
Other than nutritional, what other factors may lead to a hyperinsulinaemic crisis in a horse and why?
- Any increase in stress and/or inflammation
- Stimulates HPA axis, release of cortisol
- Change in housing, winter, disease
Explain the intestinal carbohydrate overload theory of laminitis
- Sudden exposure to lush pasture or carb rich feeding
- Exceed digestive capacity of small intestine (bypass)
- Carb overload in hindgut
- Alteration in bacterial flora = lower pH
- Increased intestinal permeability
- Bacterial by-products = systemic inflammation
What is the main bacterial by-product that leads to laminitis?
Matrix metalloproteinases
In what conditions is MMP activity increased leading to laminitis?
- Endotoxaemia
- Hypoperfusion
- Leukocyte activation/margination in laminar blood vessels
Describe the effects of MMPs on the laminae
- Degradation of extracellular matrix
- Matrix cannot maintain shape or tensile strength
- Laminae stretch and tear, causing separation at dermal/epidermal junction
Outline the vascular theory of laminitis
- Ischaemia of laminae may be primary lesion of laminitis in carb overload model
- Ischaemia followed by reperfusion injury, free radical formation, further tissue damage, oedema and necrosis
- Angiopathy precedes disruption to dermal epidermal tissue
Outline the basic diagnostic plan for laminitis
1: History - carbohydrate overload?
2: Physical exam - PPID, EMS?
3: Orthopaedic exam and radiography - OBEL grading, degree of rotation
4: Endocrine testing - PPID, IR
When should endocrine testing for in a laminitis work up be avoided?
During acute painful laminitis episodes as ACTH will be high due to stress/pain
What management steps can be taken to address the risk factors for laminitis?
- Predisposing factors: manage/treat obesity, insulin resistance, PPID, and consistent farrier care
- Prevent exacerbation: regulate starch/sugar intake and total calories, monitor for PPID
- Avoid triggers: avoid sudden changes in feeding practices, gradual introduction to new pastures, treat endotoxaemia and systemic inflammation
What management would be beneficial during an acute laminitis episode?
- Treat underlying condition if poss
- Absolute box rest until sound and beyond (1ft deep, soft sawdust bedding)
- NSAIDs to treat inflammation and pain (flunixin, phenylbutazone)
- Cryotherapy
- Remedial farriery
Outline the use of limiting pasture grazing in the management of laminitis
- Goal is to manage obesity and stop sugars exacerbating hyperinsulinaemia
- Strategies: short turnout <1hr, grazing muzzles, strip grazing
Describe the key points in the use of cryptherapy for the management of laminitis
- Maintain limb temperature 4degreesC for 72hr distally from carpus
- Start ASAP, ideally before endotaoxaemia
- Acute laminitis only
What is the physiological basis of cryotherapy in the treatment of laminitis?
Reduce metabolic rate of tissue allowing tissue to be more resistant to hypoxia which occurs with vasoconstriction, as well as decreasing cytokine production and reducing MMP activity
Describe the soaking of hay in the management of laminitis
- Min 45min
- Reduces amount of hydrosoluble carbohydrates in feed
- Need to add balancer to make up for vits/mins flushed by soaking
In what circumstances may a laminitic horse need to stay off pasture indefinitely?
- If are still hyperinsulinaemic after appropriate management
- if hyperglycaemic and normal insulin (pancreatic exhaustion)
- If repeated laminitis episodes
When would hepatic lipidosis occur in the horse and why?
- RARE
- Better synthesis of TAGs and export of VLDL vs ruminants
- Only if FA mobilisation and synthesis exceed oxidation and VLDl excretion
What are the potential consequences of lipidosis and how does this impact on the clinical investigation?
- Can affect hepatic function (hepatic failure, hepatic rupture)
- CARE with biopsy
How is hepatic lipidosis diagnosed?
- Increased serum TAG concentration
- Biochemical evidence of hepatic dysfunction
- US/histopathological evidence of fatty infiltration of liver (size/echogenicity)
What is the relationship between obesity and hepatic lipaemia in the horse?
- Obese animal has more fat that can be converted to VLDLs
- Obese animals also likely to be IR
- IR = no inhibition of lipolysis, higher prod. of VLDLs, lower availability of LPL to clear
Outline the role of insulin in lipid metabolism
- Inhibits lipolysis and proteolysis
- Decreases liver glycogenolysis, gluconeogenesis and ketogenesis
- Stimulates lipoprotein lipase (LPL)