Veterinary Sciences

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Special Issue Editor

Dr. Allison J. Stewart

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Guest Editor

School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
Interests: endocrinology; fungal disease; neurology; infectious disease; pharmacology; electrolyte imbalance

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Equine Endocrinology is a rapidly expanding field, with research on the pathophysiology, endocrine imbalances, clinical signs, epidemiology and treatment of PPID, insulin dysregulation, HPA axis dysregulation and calcium and phosphorus regulation of particular interest to equine veterinarians and horse owners.

We are pleased to invite you to submit an article for peer review in the area of equine endocrinology and metabolic disease. This Special Issue aims to encompass 10–20 high-quality articles. Both original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following: Physiology, pathophysiology, epidemiology, diagnostic testing or treatment of conditions of the equine endocrine system including hypothalamus, pituitary, adrenal, thyroid, pancreas such as HPA axis dysregulation, CIRCI, pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction, RAAS regulation or dysfunction, growth hormone dysfunction, insulin dysregulation, equine metabolic syndrome, endocrinopathic laminitis, thyroid dysfunction, anhidrosis, pheochromocytoma, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium or parathyroid disorders regulation.

I look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Allison J. Stewart BVSC(hons), MS, DACVIM, DACVECC, MANZCVS, PhD
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Veterinary Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

pituitary
adrenal
hypothalamus
thyroid
insulin dysregulation
metabolic syndrome
cortisol
adrenocor-ticotrophin
calcium
phosphorus
endocrine
laminitis

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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21 pages, 6569 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Prospective Case Series of Clinical Signs and Adrenocorticotrophin (ACTH) Concentrations in Seven Horses Transitioning to Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID)

by Naomi C. Kirkwood, Kristopher J. Hughes and Allison J. Stewart

Vet. Sci. 2022, 9(10), 572; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci9100572 - 17 Oct 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1790

Abstract

Poor recognition of subtle clinical abnormalities and equivocal ACTH concentrations make early diagnosis of PPID difficult. Progressive clinical findings and corresponding ACTH concentrations in horses transitioning to PPID over time have not been documented. Seven horses with ACTH concentrations equivocal for PPID (utilizing locally derived, seasonally adjusted diagnostic-cut off values (DCOV)) and no clinical signs of PPID were selected. Sequential measurement of basal and thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH)-stimulated ACTH concentrations and recording of clinical findings occurred from October 2017 to November 2021 in a prospective case series. In two horses, marked hypertrichosis developed. Although 1/11 basal ACTH concentrations were below DCOV in 2018, subsequently all basal ACTH concentrations in these two horses without treatment were greater than DCOV. One horse was treated with pergolide which normalized basal ACTH concentrations. Four horses developed intermittent, mild hypertrichosis, and one horse never developed hypertrichosis. Basal ACTH concentrations in these five horses were greater than DCOV in 63/133 (47.4%) of testing points. TRH-stimulated ACTH concentrations in these five horses were greater than DCOV in 77/133 (57.9%) of testing points, sometimes markedly increased and greater than the assay upper limit of detection (LoD) of 1250pg/mL. TRH-stimulated ACTH concentrations were most frequently positive in late summer and early autumn, with 24/37 (64.9%) of TRH-stimulated ACTH concentrations greater than the DCOV in February and March. Horses transitioning to PPID can have subtle clinical signs and equivocal ACTH concentrations. However, TRH-stimulated ACTH concentrations can be markedly greater than DCOV, especially in late summer and early autumn (February and March) allowing for identification of subclinical and transitional cases. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Knowledge on Equine Endocrine and Metabolic Disease)

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Review

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22 pages, 2642 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceReview

Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID) in Horses

by Naomi C. Kirkwood, Kristopher J. Hughes and Allison J. Stewart

Vet. Sci. 2022, 9(10), 556; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci9100556 - 10 Oct 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 7742

Abstract

Substantial morbidity results from pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID) which is often underestimated by owners and veterinarians. Clinical signs, pathophysiology, diagnostic tests, and treatment protocols of this condition are reviewed. The importance of improved recognition of early clinical signs and diagnosis are highlighted, as initiation of treatment will result in improved quality of life. Future research should be targeted at improving the accuracy of the diagnosis of PPID, as basal adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) concentration can lack sensitivity and thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) used to assess ACTH response to TRH stimulation is not commercially available as a sterile registered product in many countries. The relationship between PPID and insulin dysregulation and its association with laminitis, as well as additional management practices and long-term responses to treatment with pergolide also require further investigation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Knowledge on Equine Endocrine and Metabolic Disease)

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