Age distributions of horses with strangulation of the small intestine by a lipoma or in the epiploic foramen: 46 cases (1994-2000).
OBJECTIVE
To test the hypothesis that strangulation of the small intestine by a lipoma or in the epiploic foramen is more common in older horses.


METHODS
Retrospective study.


METHODS
46 horses.


METHODS
Ages of horses with strangulation of the small intestine by a lipoma (n = 29) or in the epiploic foramen (17) were compared with ages of 79 horses with miscellaneous small intestinal lesions. Effects of increasing age on risk of the diseases of interest were examined by use of logistic regression and a 1-sided trend test for binomial proportions.


RESULTS
Mean age of the horses with strangulation in the epiploic foramen (9.6 years) was the same as that for the horses with miscellaneous small intestinal lesions (7.7), but mean age of the horses with strangulation by a lipoma (19.2) was significantly greater than that for the other groups. The proportion of horses with lipoma increased significantly with increasing age, but the proportion with strangulation in the epiploic foramen did not.


CONCLUSIONS
Results refute the current suggestion that increasing age predisposes horses for strangulation of the small intestine in the epiploic foramen but support the suggestion that the risk of strangulation of the small intestine by a lipoma increases with age.
Freeman
D E
DE
Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61802, USA.
Schaeffer
D J
DJ
D017677:Age Distribution; D000818:Animals; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D006736:Horses; D007415:Intestinal Obstruction / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000473:pathology*; D008067:Lipoma / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors