title: Effects of ophthalmic disease on concentrations of plasma fibrinogen and serum amyloid A in the horse.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is little scientific information available about the ability of ocular disease to cause a systemic inflammatory response. Horses are frequently affected with ocular disease and ensuring their systemic health prior to performing vision saving surgery under anaesthesia is essential for the successful treatment of ophthalmic disease.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Ocular disease will cause elevations in the concentration of the acute phase proteins fibrinogen and serum amyloid A in peripheral blood.
  
  
  METHODS
  Whole blood and serum samples were obtained from 38 mature horses with ulcerative keratitis or uveitis and no evidence of systemic disease, 9 mature horses with no evidence of ocular or systemic disease (negative controls) and 10 mature horses with systemic inflammatory disease and no evidence of ocular disease (positive controls). Blood samples were assayed for concentrations of the acute phase proteins fibrinogen and serum amyloid A.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fibrinogen and serum amyloid A were significantly different in the positive control group compared to the negative control, corneal disease and uveitis groups (P<0.126). There was no significant difference between the negative control, corneal disease and uveitis groups (P<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ulcerative keratitis and anterior uveitis are not associated with elevated concentrations of the acute phase proteins fibrinogen and serum amyloid A in peripheral blood.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  When the clinician is presented with a patient with ocular disease and elevated plasma fibrinogen or serum amyloid A concentrations, a nonocular inflammatory focus should be suspected.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA. labelle.10@osu.edu
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Labelle
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Hamor
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Macneill
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Lascola
authors.forename: C B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Breaux
authors.forename: E L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Tolar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000097:blood*; D006736:Horses; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D000685:Serum Amyloid A Protein / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000685:Serum Amyloid A Protein; D005340:Fibrinogen