Vegetative endocarditis in equids (1994--2006).
BACKGROUND
Endocarditis is a rare heart condition with variable clinical expressions in equids. Risk factors for this disease are incompletely understood.


OBJECTIVE
Describe risk factors for endocarditis in equids.


METHODS
One hundred and fifty-three equids admitted to Liège University, 9 diagnosed with endocarditis and 144 free from endocarditis but admitted to the hospital with a differential diagnosis including this disease.


METHODS
Retrospective case-control study.


RESULTS
Equids with endocarditis were significantly younger (mean age = 4.84 +/- 5.74 years) than control equids (mean age = 10.8 +/- 7.73 years) (P = .01). No sex or breed predisposition was observed. Animals with hyperthermia (odds ratio [OR] = 24.4; confidence interval [CI] = 1.40-428), synovial distension (OR = 13.4; CI = 3.00-59.8), lameness (OR = 6.52; CI = 1.63-26.1), hyperglobulinemia (OR = 26.4; CI = 3.03-229), hypoalbuminemia (OR = 11.4; CI = 1.34-96.8), hyperfibrinogenemia (OR = 9.81; CI = 1.16-82.7), or leukocytosis (OR = 7.12; CI = 1.40-36.4) presented a significantly higher risk of having endocarditis than control horses. The presence of two of the clinical signs mentioned above significantly increased the probability of a diagnosis of endocarditis (P< or = .05).


CONCLUSIONS
Age is associated with equine endocarditis. The diagnostic value of certain clinical signs and abnormalities in blood parameters in this disease are described.
Porter
S R
SR
Equine Teaching Hospital, Department of Companion Animals and Equids Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.
Saegerman
C
C
van Galen
G
G
Sandersen
C
C
Delguste
C
C
Guyot
H
H
Amory
H
H
D000818:Animals; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D018397:Equidae; D012189:Retrospective Studies