Relationships of age and shape of the navicular bone to the development of navicular disease: a radiological study.
Estimating the shape of the proximal articular border of the navicular bone and grading the radiological navicular bone condition (grades 3 and 4 representing the most severe changes), the aim of this study was to assess potential age-related implications of the previously reported shape predisposition to navicular disease in 746 normal and 174 clinically affected Dutch Warmbloods age 3-19 years. A significant, age-independent, shape-grade association found in normal and affected horses emphasises the fundamental character of the shape predisposition to navicular disease. A significant age-related increase of the least susceptible shape prevalence was found in elderly normal horses. A shape-independent low grades 3 and 4 prevalence (mean 15%) was found in normal horses, vs. a high grades 3 and 4 prevalence (mean 85%) in the affected horses. Therefore, the clinical manifestation of the disease is grade-rather than shape-dependent. A significant age-related appearance of inverted flask-shaped channels and enthesophytes was found in the clinically affected horses. However, considering the significant shape-radiological features association previously reported in 3-year-old normal horses, this association may be shape- rather than age-dependent.
Department of Radiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Utrecht, The Netherlands.
K J
KJ
Dik
A J
AJ
van den Belt
J
J
van den Broek
D000818:Animals; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000503:physiopathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005534:Foot Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005552:Forelimb; D006724:Hoof and Claw; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006736:Horses; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011859:Radiography; D012716:Sesamoid Bones; D012720:Severity of Illness Index