title: Oxidant-antioxidant status in the blood of horses with symptomatic recurrent airway obstruction (RAO).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Systemic oxidative stress in horses with recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) is poorly characterized.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The goal of this study was to investigate whether equine RAO is associated with systemic disturbances in the oxidant-antioxidant equilibrium.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seven healthy horses and 7 horses with symptomatic RAO.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective study. Healthy and RAO-affected horses were exposed to a 48-hour challenge with moldy hay and straw to induce clinical exacerbation of RAO. Venous blood was collected and the activities of the superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and glutathione reductase (GR) in equine erythrocyte lysates were measured. The concentration of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARSs) was assessed both in erythrocyte lysates and in plasma.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant increase in the activities of GPx and SOD was detected in RAO-affected horses compared with the control animals. There was no significant difference between groups in terms of the erythrocyte lysate activities of CAT, GR, or TBARs or the plasma concentration of TBARs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results support the hypothesis that RAO in horses is associated with systemic oxidative stress. Future studies are needed to assess whether horses suffering from RAO can benefit from antioxidant supplementation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Diseases with Clinic for Horses, Dogs and Cats, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Wrocaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Pl. Grunwaldzki 47, 50-366, Wrocaw, Poland.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Niedzwiedz
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Jaworski
mesh_terms: D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism / Q000662:veterinary*; D000818:Animals; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000166:cytology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002374:Catalase / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000097:blood; D005980:Glutathione Reductase / Q000097:blood; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D006736:Horses / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D002374:Catalase; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D005980:Glutathione Reductase
keywords: Antioxidants; Horse; Oxidative stress; RAO