Evaluation of activated neutrophils in the blood of horses with colic.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the activation status of neutrophils in blood samples obtained from horses with naturally occurring colic associated with strangulating obstruction, nonstrangulating obstruction, or inflammatory bowel disease.


METHODS
30 horses with naturally occurring colic and 30 healthy control horses.


METHODS
Activation status of neutrophils was determined by assessing the number of neutrophils that could pass through filters with 5-microm pores, cell-surface CD11-CD18 expression, and alterations in size and granularity of neutrophils.


RESULTS
Horses with impaction or gas colic did not have evidence of activated neutrophils. Horses with inflammatory bowel disease consistently had evidence of activated neutrophils, including decreased leukocyte deformability, increased CD11-CD18 expression, increased neutrophil size, and decreased neutrophil granularity. Horses with strangulating colic had variable results. Of horses with strangulating colic, 7 of 14 had marked changes in filtration pressures, 5 of 14 had increased CD11-CD18 expression, 6 of 14 had changes in neutrophil size, and 5 of 14 had changes in neutrophil granularity. Among horses with strangulating colic, changes in deformability, size, and granularity of neutrophils correlated with an adverse outcome.


CONCLUSIONS
Activated neutrophils were detected in all horses with inflammatory bowel disease and a few horses with strangulating colic. Correlation of activated neutrophils with horses that had strangulating colic that died or were euthanatized indicates that activated neutrophils are a negative prognostic indicator. Additional studies are needed to determine whether activated neutrophils contribute directly to the adverse outcome in horses with strangulating colic.
Weiss
Douglas J
DJ
Department of Veterinary PathoBiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St Paul, MN 55108, USA.
Evanson
Oral A
OA
D000818:Animals; D018845:CD11 Antigens / Q000097:blood; D018821:CD18 Antigens / Q000097:blood; D003085:Colic / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000097:blood*; D006736:Horses; D018375:Neutrophil Activation / Q000502:physiology*; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000276:immunology; D012016:Reference Values
D018845:CD11 Antigens; D018821:CD18 Antigens