Hematological and Serum Biochemical Changes and Their Prognostic Value in Horses Spontaneously Poisoned by Crotalaria spectabilis.

Abstract

Determining the prognosis of poisoning by plants containing pyrrolizidine alkaloids is usually challenging. This study aimed to identify important prognostic parameters that can determine the severity of spontaneous poisoning by Crotalaria spectabilis in horses. Blood samples from 42 horses spontaneously poisoned by oats contaminated with C. spectabilis seeds were evaluated. Complete blood counts (CBC) and serum biochemical tests [urea, creatinine, total protein, albumin, total and direct bilirubin concentrations, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), γ-glutamyl transferase (GGT), and creatine kinase (CK) activities] were performed. Horses were followed up for 12 months to determine the long-term survival rate; after 12 months, they were divided into two groups: survivors (n = 30) and non-survivors (n = 12). Horses spontaneously poisoned with C. spectabilis had higher levels of urea, globulin, bilirubin (total, direct, and indirect), AST, GGT, and CK than the reference values. Non-survivor horses showed significantly higher (p < 0.05) values of hemoglobin, GGT, and direct bilirubin than the survivor horses. Horses with serum GGT activity higher than 95 U/l had 14.0 times the risk of death compared to animals showing activities equal to or lower than this value, whereas horses with serum direct bilirubin concentration higher than 0.6 mg/dl (10.26 μmol/L) had 5.78 times the risk of death compared to the others. In summary, serum GGT activity and direct bilirubin concentration may be useful prognostic indicators for assessing the severity of C. spectabilis-poisoned horses.

• Authors: Antonio Carlos Lopes Câmara, Verônica Lourença de Sousa Argenta, Daniella Dianese Alves de Moraes, Eduardo Ferreira Fonseca, Tayná Cardim Moraes Fino, Giane Regina Paludo, Benito Soto-Blanco
• Journal: Frontiers in veterinary science (Front Vet Sci) Vol. 8 Pg. 741530 ( 2021) ISSN: 2297-1769 [Print] Switzerland
• PMID: 35097039 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2022 Câmara, de Sousa Argenta, de Moraes, Fonseca, Fino, Paludo and Soto-Blanco.