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Sclerosis of the Third Carpal Bone

Tolkning av radiologisk skleros i tredje karpalbenet. En prospektiv Studie av en grupp unga varmblodiga travhästar.

A Prospective Study of its Significance in a Group of Young Standardbred Trotters

Abstract

To assess the significance of radiographic signs of sclerosis of the third carpal bone (C3) in young Standardbred trotters in relation to performance, lameness and bone turnover both carpi in 14 Standardbred trotters were radiographically and scintigraphically examined 6 times, from the beginning of speed training until the beginning of racing, between the mean ages of 20 and 42 months. At the end of the study 8 horses had raced in official qualifying races and 14 limbs in 11 horses had been diagnosed with carpal lameness. All horses but 2 developed sclerosis and all but one had increased bone turnover in the C3 area by scintigraphy. C3 sclerosis increased continuously over time and with increased performance. Carpal lameness was significantly associated with progression of sclerosis but in most cases sclerosis developed without concomitant signs of carpal lameness. No association between carpal lameness and increased scintigraphic uptake was found, but horses that had qualified for racing had significantly higher C3 to carpus ratio of radiopharmaceutical uptake. We conclude that there is a continuous increase in C3 radiographic sclerosis with time in young Standardbred trotters in professional training, but radiographic sclerosis appears to be of limited value as an indicator of clinical carpal disease or level of performance in Standardbred trotters.

Sammendrag

För att klargöra betydelsen av radiologisk skleros i tredje karpalbenet utvärderades bägge karpallederna hos 14 varmblodiga travhästar radiologiskt och scintigrafiskt i relation till hälta och prestation. Hästarna undersöktes 6 gånger mellan 20 och 42 månaders åider, från hastighetsträningens inledning till början av tävlingsperioden. Mot slutet av Studien hade 8 hästar kvalificerat sig för tävling, och hälta lokaliserad till mellersta karpalleden hade diagnosticerats i 14 ben på 11 hästar. Alla hästar utom 2 utvecklade radiologiska tecken tili skleros och alla hästar utom en uppvisade ökat scintigrafiskt upptag i området för tredje karpalbenet. Under Studien sågs en kontinuerlig åkning av skleros över tid och med ökande prestation. Ett signifikant samband sågs mellan hälta lokaliserad tili mellersta karpalleden och tilltagande skleros, men i de fiesta fall utvecklades skleros utan medföljande hälta. Inget samband mellan ökat scintigrafiskt upptag och hälta sågs, men hästar som kvalificerat sig för tävling hade signifikant högre scintigrafiskt upptag i området för tredje karpalbenet. Hos varmblodiga travhästar i professionell träning ses tilltagande skleros i tredje karpalbenet över tid, men Studien visar att radiologisk skleros är av begränsat värde som indikator för tidigare karpalhälta eller prestation.

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Correspondence to H. Uhlhorn.

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Uhlhorn, H., Eksell, P., Sandgren, B. et al. Sclerosis of the Third Carpal Bone. Acta Vet Scand 41, 51–61 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03549655

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