title: Validation of the Accutrend Plus point-of-care triglyceride analyzer in horses, ponies, and donkeys.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the accuracy and reliability of a point-of-care (POC) triglyceride analyzer and to establish reference intervals for blood ([TRIG]POC/WB ) and plasma triglyceride concentrations ([TRIG]POC/PL ) in horses, ponies, and donkeys.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  University teaching hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  120 adult healthy equids (78 horses and ponies, 42 donkeys) and 79 equids suffering from hypertriglyceridemia (73 horses and ponies, 6 donkeys).
  
  
  METHODS
  None.
  
  
  RESULTS
  [TRIG]POC/WB and [TRIG]POC/PL were measured using a POC analyzer and plasma triglyceride concentrations were measured using a standard laboratory assay ([TRIG]LAB/PL ). Reference intervals were determined. Test accuracy was assessed by Bland-Altman comparison of POC measurements with standard laboratory measurements and by evaluating linearity of dilutional series. Test reliability was assessed by repeated serial measurements. [TRIG]POC/WB and [TRIG]POC/PL were below the analytic range of the POC assay (<0.8 mmol/L [<70 mg/dL]) in healthy horses and ponies, whereas the reference intervals were 0.82-3.14 mmol/L (73-278 mg/dL) and 0.87-3.02 mmol/L (77-267 mg/dL), respectively, in donkeys. The POC analyzer systematically overestimated triglyceride concentrations when compared to a standard laboratory assay. The difference between [TRIG]POC/WB and [TRIG]POC/PL was small and clinically negligible. The coefficient of variation of repeated measures performed on the POC analyzer was below 10% for [TRIG]POC/WB and [TRIG]POC/PL , both in horses and donkeys and at all concentration ranges.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The POC analyzer allows accurate and reliable measurement of [TRIG]POC/WB and [TRIG]POC/PL in horses, ponies, and donkeys in clinical settings. Assay-specific reference intervals should be determined for diagnosis and clinical monitoring of hypertriglyceridemia in equids.
authors: Equine Department, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors: Michaela C
authors: MC
authors: Pongratz
authors: Equine Department, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors: Hannah K
authors: HK
authors: Junge
authors: Clinical Laboratory, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors: Barbara
authors: B
authors: Riond
authors: Equine Department, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. cschwarzwald@vetclinics.uzh.ch.
authors: Colin C
authors: CC
authors: Schwarzwald
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000097:blood; D006736:Horses / Q000097:blood*; D015228:Hypertriglyceridemia / Q000097:blood / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D014280:Triglycerides
keywords: accuracy; hypertriglyceridemia; reference intervals; reliability