Concurrent radiological and ultrasonographical findings in the forelimb proximal sesamoid bones and adjacent suspensory ligament branches in yearling and 2-year-old Thoroughbred sales horses.

Background: Changes in the proximal sesamoid bones (sesamoids) and the insertional region of the adjacent suspensory ligament branch (branch) are of particular importance in young Thoroughbreds sold at public auction. Little is known about the prevalence of concurrent ultrasonographical branch change, relative to the various grades of radiological sesamoid appearance.

Objective: To examine the existence of concurrent radiological and ultrasonographical findings in individual sesamoid-branch units in sales horses; to determine whether there are any radiological findings that are consistently accompanied by a particular degree of insertional branch change, and to provide practical recommendations as to when suspensory branch ultrasonography may be warranted in a sales environment.

Ultrasonography of the suspensory ligament branches in yearling and 2-year-old Thoroughbred sales horses: Prevalence, progression of findings and associations with racing performance.

Background: Equine suspensory ligament branch (branch) ultrasonography is becoming increasingly commonplace presale. No ultrasonographical branch reference data exists for Thoroughbred sales horses.

Objectives: To define the prevalence of ultrasonographical findings in the forelimb suspensory branches of yearling and 2-year-old sales Thoroughbreds and to analyse associations with racing performance.

Intra-articular corticosteroids for the treatment of osteoarthritis: A systematic review and meta-analysis on the comparison of different molecules and doses.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to quantify and compare the clinical relevance of the different intra-articular corticosteroids (CS) effects in vivo for osteoarthritis (OA) treatment.

Methods: The search was conducted on PubMed, Cochrane, and Web of Science in October 2023. The PRISMA guidelines were used.

Longitudinal in vivo cationic contrast-enhanced computed tomography classifies equine articular cartilage injury and repair.

Cationic contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) capitalizes on increased contrast agent affinity to the charged proteoglycans in articular cartilage matrix to provide quantitative assessment of proteoglycan content with enhanced images. While high resolution microCT has demonstrated success, we investigate cationic CECT use in longitudinal in vivo imaging at clinical resolution. We hypothesize that repeated administration of CA4+ will have no adverse side effects or complications, and that sequential in vivo imaging assessments will distinguish articular cartilage repair tissue from early degenerative and healthy cartilage in critically sized chondral defects.

IL-1ra gene therapy in equine osteoarthritis improves physiological, anatomical, and biological outcomes of joint degeneration.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of a gene transfer approach to IL-1β inhibition in an equine osteochondral chip fragment model of joint injury using a self-complementary adeno-associated virus with interleukin receptor antagonist transgene cassette (scAAVIL-1ra), as posttraumatic osteoarthritis in horses, similar to people, is a significant clinical problem.

Animals: 16 horses were utilized for the study.

Methods: All horses had an osteochondral chip fragment induced arthroscopically in one middle carpal joint while the contralateral joint was sham operated.