Prevalence of gastric squamous ulceration in horses with abdominal pain.
BACKGROUND
Prevalence of gastric ulcerations differs widely according to breed and circumstances of management. Further study of the biological variables involved is required in order to identify more exactly the reasons for the reported range.


OBJECTIVE
The objectives of this present study, which do not appear to have been addressed previously in the literature, were 1) the prevalence of gastric ulceration in horses with abdominal pain. 2) difference in prevalence in horses responding to medical therapy and those requiring surgical intervention. 3) whether gastric ulceration is associated with any particular gastrointestinal tract lesion.


METHODS
Horses were included in the study if gastroscopy was performed within 24 h of presentation. The presence and grade of gastric ulceration was recorded together with the medical records. Data were analysed categorically using a Fisher's exact test or Chi-squared test.


RESULTS
One hundred horses met the selection criteria. Forty-nine percent (49/100) of horses had gastric ulceration, 63% (63/100) responded to medical therapy and 37% (37/100) to surgical intervention, and prevalence was higher in the former (59%) than the latter (32%). Horses with duodenitis-proximal jejunitis (DPJ) had a trend towards higher prevalence of gastric ulceration compared to those with other GI lesions. Sixty-eight percent (13/19) of horses diagnosed with DPJ, 32% (8/25) with a large colon impaction and 14% (1/7) with large colon volvulus had gastric ulceration.


CONCLUSIONS
The presence of gastric ulceration in all horses with abdominal pain was moderate. Horses responding to medical therapy had a higher prevalence of gastric ulceration compared to horses requiring surgery and there was a trend towards higher prevalence in cases of DPJ compared to other GI lesions. There was not a statistically significant difference in gastric ulceration detected between specific lesions, including large colon impactions and large colon volvulus.


CONCLUSIONS
The clinical relevance of ulceration is still unclear and further studies are required to differentiate between incidental and clinically important gastric ulceration.
Dukti
S A
SA
Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital, Lexington, Kentucky 40580, USA.
Perkins
S
S
Murphy
J
J
Barr
B
B
Boston
R
R
Southwood
L L
LL
Bernard
W
W
D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D005773:Gastroscopy / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006736:Horses; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013276:Stomach Ulcer / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D013522:Surgery, Veterinary / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal