Effect of adjunctive treatment with intravenously administered Propionibacterium acnes on reproductive performance in mares with persistent endometritis.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether treatment with a preparation of Propionibacterium acnes would improve pregnancy and live foal rates in mares with persistent endometritis.


METHODS
Randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial.


METHODS
95 mares with a cytologic diagnosis of persistent endometritis.


METHODS
Mares were treated with P acnes or placebo (both administered IV) on days 0, 2, and 6. No attempt was made to alter additional treatments administered by attending veterinarians. Information on breeding history, physical examination findings, results of cytologic examination and microbial culture of uterine samples, additional treatments administered, breeding dates, results of pregnancy examinations, whether a live foal was produced, and reactions to treatment was recorded.


RESULTS
In multivariate logistic regression models, mare age, year of entry into the study, and first breeding within 8 days after first treatment with P acnes or placebo were significantly associated with pregnancy. Fewer number of cycles bred and younger age were significantly associated with delivery of a live foal in a separate multivariate analysis. Results of multivariate logistic regression modeling indicated that mares treated with P acnes were more likely to become pregnant and to deliver a live foal, compared with placebo-treated controls.


CONCLUSIONS
IV administration of P acnes as an adjunct to conventional treatments in mares with a cytologic diagnosis of persistent endometritis improved pregnancy and live foal rates. The optimal effect was detected in mares bred during the interval extending from 2 days before to 8 days after first treatment with P acnes.
Rohrbach
Barton W
BW
Department of Comparative Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA.
Sheerin
Peter C
PC
Cantrell
Charles K
CK
Matthews
Phillip M
PM
Steiner
John V
JV
Dodds
Lewis E
LE
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D001947:Breeding; D004716:Endometritis / Q000628:therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D006736:Horses; D007275:Injections, Intravenous / Q000662:veterinary; D016015:Logistic Models; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome / Q000662:veterinary; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D019936:Probiotics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011425:Propionibacterium acnes / Q000254:growth & development*; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology