Findings and Prognosis in 149 Horses with Histological Changes Compatible with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Simple Summary: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic intestinal disease in horses, causing weight loss, reduced performance and recurrent (mild) colic. Different types of inflammatory cells infiltrate the intestine and characterize several different forms of IBD. Biopsies were obtained from the first portion of the small intestine during endoscopy of the stomach and studied microscopically. When increased numbers of inflammatory cells were present, the horses were included in the present study. The microscopic changes were classified as mild, moderate or severe and the predominant infiltrating cell type was recorded. Clinical improvement was assessed by the owners at 6 weeks after biopsy, along with survival after one year. In total, 149 horses were included, and the most common clinical signs were weight loss, reduced performance and pain during abdominal palpation. The uptake of glucose from the small intestine was impaired in most horses with IBD, and the horses with severe IBD had lower protein concentrations in their blood. Overall, 71% of the cases had improved clinically after six weeks, mostly following treatment with corticosteroids. The results of a second biopsy were a poor predictor of improvement and the horses that improved after 6 weeks were more likely to be alive after one year. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic disease characterized by different cell infiltrates in the intestine. The aims of this study were to report the clinical and clinicopathological findings in horses with histological changes compatible with IBD in the duodenum. Further, the clinical progression of IBD and survival were investigated. Patient records were reviewed for horses in which histological evidence of IBD was found in duodenal biopsies collected during endoscopy. The histological changes were classified as mild, moderate or severe and the predominant infiltrating cell type was recorded. Clinical improvement was assessed by the owner via a questionnaire at 6 weeks after biopsy, along with survival after one year. In total, 149 horses were included, and the most common clinical signs were weight loss, reduced performance and pain during abdominal palpation. Most horses showed partial malabsorption during an oral glucose absorption test, and the horses with severe IBD had lower serum protein concentrations. Lymphoplasmacytic enteritis was the most common type of IBD (78.5% of cases), while in six horses neutrophilic infiltration of the duodenum was present. Overall, 71% of the cases had improved clinically after six weeks, mostly following treatment with corticosteroids. The results of a second biopsy were a poor predictor of improvement, and the horses that improved after 6 weeks were more likely to be alive after one year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]