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Biomedical subjects

E M Milne

Publications and source records attributed to E M Milne.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

Small intestine and small colon neuropathy in equine dysautonomia (grass sickness).

The number of neurons in the coeliacomesenteric ganglia and the myenteric and submucosal plexuses of the jejunum, ileum and small colon, and the pathological changes induced in them, were studied in various types of equine dysautonomia. In all forms of dysautonomia, severe and extensive neuron loss and damage occurred in the ileum. In acute and subacute dysautonomia, jejunal neuron loss and damage were severe, but in chronic cases significantly less loss or damage occurred. The damage followed the same pattern in the small colon but it was always less obvious than in the jejunum. The distribution of the damage was uniform within a segment of the intestine. In fatal cases of dysautonomia, the clinical severity and duration of illness seems, in most instances, to be related to the amount of neuronal disruption occurring in the jejunum. Severe disruption results in acute/subacute dysautonomia, while milder damage leads to the chronic form. No case of dysautonomia was encountered in which enteric neuron loss and damage occurred without significant neuronal disruption also occurring in the coeliacomesenteric ganglia. Heal neuronal damage and loss are not invariably worse than that in the jejunum, and the possible reasons for this, together with the relationship between neuronal damage and possible causes of dysautonomia, are discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Use of clinical measurements to predict the outcome in chronic cases of grass sickness (equine dysautonomia).

Forty-five cases of chronic grass sickness were given scores for selected clinical measurements when they were first examined, to assess their value in predicting survival. Sixteen cases survived. The clinical scores for the degree of dysphagia, appetite, colic and the degree of reduction in gut sounds were significantly lower in the survivors than in the non-survivors. In addition, only the non-survivors had severe rhinitis. Ponies were significantly less likely to survive than cob types.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Quantitation of alpha-1 proteinase inhibitor in the pulmonary epithelial lining fluid of horses with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

The concentration of alpha-1 proteinase inhibitor (API) was measured in the pulmonary epithelial lining fluid (PELF) of horses with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) while they had clinical signs and while they had none. The concentrations of total protein, albumin and API were significantly higher in the PELF of animals with clinical signs of COPD. The correlation between albumin and API in the PELF suggested that most of the API was derived from the serum.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Histopathology of the brain-stem nuclei of horses with "Mal seco", an equine dysautonomia.

"Mal seco" is a disease of unknown aetiology affecting horses in Argentina. It is similar to grass sickness, a primary dysautonomia of horses in Europe. A histopathological study of the brain stem nuclei of three horses with "mal seco" was performed. Changes were found that consisted of chromatolysis, cytoplasmic vacuoles, eosinophilic sphaeroids, and pyknotic and eccentric nuclei. These changes were most severe at the oculomotor, vestibular and abducent nuclei. The results provide further evidence to suggest that "mal seco" and grass sickness may be the same disease.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Decrease in the alpha 1-proteinase inhibitor Spi3 in equine bronchoalveolar lavage fluid.

The alpha 1-proteinase inhibitors of trypsin, Spi1, Spi3A, and Spi3B, in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and serum of horses were separated by electrophoresis, and their proportions were quantified in 12 control horses and 12 with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). A significantly lower proportion of Spi3B (P < 0.05) and higher proportion of Spi1 (P < 0.02 to P < 0.01) were detected in BALF, compared with serum, in control and COPD-affected horses and appeared to be attributable to reduced Spi3 activity in BALF. There was no significant difference between the control and COPD groups in this respect, indicating that the decrease in Spi3 may be a physiologic phenomenon. The differences observed may be associated with proteolytic damage to or preferential complex formation by Spi3.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Autonomic neurone degeneration in equine dysautonomia (grass sickness).

Histological investigations were undertaken on four sympathetic autonomic ganglia and on the myenteric and sub-mucosal plexuses of the jejunum in healthy animals, in naturally occurring cases of acute, sub-acute and chronic equine dysautonomia and in ponies in which neuronal damage had been induced by the injection of acute grass sickness sera. The degree of neuronal damage is related to the type of dysautonomia. The coeliac-mesenteric ganglion reacts differently from other ganglia and is less severely damaged in cases of short duration. Extensive experimentally induced damage to the coeliac-mesenteric ganglion, even when jejunal damage is also present, is not associated with clinical illness. It is proposed that the rate of autonomic neurone loss and the extent of the damage may both influence the clinical manifestations of grass sickness.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1992

Clinical equine dysautonomia and autonomic neuron damage.

Damage to the neurons of selected autonomic ganglia was quantified in relation to the severity of the clinical signs shown in acute, subacute and chronic cases of dysautonomia (grass sickness). No connection between the clinical severity of acute or subacute dysautonomia and the amount of neuronal damage in the superior cervical, stellate and coeliaco-mesenteric ganglia could be demonstrated. However, a higher proportion of normal neurons were found in chronic cases. Jejunal submucosal neuronal damage was correlated with clinical severity but further work is required to confirm this finding and to establish how widespread the alimentary neuronal lesions are in dysautonomia of different severities.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Acute phase proteins in grass sickness (equine dysautonomia).

Four acute phase proteins were assayed in the serum of normal horses and those with acute, subacute and chronic grass sickness, colic and inflammatory conditions, in order to investigate their diagnostic value in grass sickness. The grass sickness and inflammation group had a significantly increased haptoglobin concentration (P less than 0.01-P less than 0.001). Orosomucoid was elevated in acute, subacute and chronic grass sickness and inflammation (P less than 0.001, P less than 0.001, P less than 0.05 and P less than 0.05, respectively). Highest concentrations of haptoglobin and orosomucoid were recorded in subacute grass sickness. Ceruloplasmin was significantly higher in acute grass sickness cases than all other groups except the colic group (P less than 0.05-P less than 0.01). alpha 2-macroglobulin was significantly higher in acute grass sickness than normal, colic and chronic grass sickness cases (P less than 0.01, P less than 0.05 and P less than 0.05). The time scale of changes suggests that the stimulus to haptoglobin and orosomucoid synthesis occurs at the onset of clinical signs whereas the increase in ceruloplasmin and alpha 2-macroglobulin is more likely to reflect haemoconcentration.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1991

Clinical and biochemical features of grass sickness (equine dysautonomia).

An attempt has been made to assess the diagnostic value of clinical features seen at initial examination of horses with grass sickness, colic cases and cases submitted as possible grass sickness but diagnosed subsequently as some other condition. There appears to be no single pathognomonic sign for grass sickness. A range of signs has been associated with grass sickness but these are of value only when related to the length of illness and the history. Biochemical tests related to intestinal tissue damage, stress and dehydration were evaluated and most were found to be of value in diagnosing acute grass sickness. No evidence was found relating selected mineral or vitamin deficiencies to grass sickness, nor were protein changes specific. A marked fall in glutathione peroxidase values was associated with grazing rather than disease.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗
PubMed1991

A comparative study of normal equine populations and those with grass sickness (dysautonomia) in eastern Scotland.

A retrospective survey was made of premises in eastern Scotland on which at least two cases of grass sickness had occurred between 1970 and 1987. For comparison, a further survey of 49 equine establishments, on which no grass sickness had been recorded, was conducted from 1986 to 1988. The results indicated that younger animals are more susceptible, especially those in good physical condition grazing full-time in the spring or early summer. Movement to new grazing increases the risk of grass sickness and identifiable stress may contribute. The nature of the establishment governed the animals' condition during the summer, but it did not appear to influence the prevalence of grass sickness. However, riding schools and livery establishments which experienced the disease kept, on average, significantly more animals than unaffected premises of the same type. No relationship was found between supplementary feeding or stage of pasture growth and grass sickness. The results of the survey support the hypothesis that the causal agent of grass sickness is associated with grazing but multiple factors may influence the expression of illness.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1990

Analysis of peritoneal fluid as a diagnostic aid in grass sickness (equine dysautonomia).

The analysis of peritoneal fluid is of value in the differential diagnosis of equine colic but its characteristics have not been evaluated in grass sickness. Peritoneal fluid was collected from 15 normal horses and from 11 cases of medical colic, 11 cases of surgical colic, 20 cases of acute grass sickness and 13 cases of subacute grass sickness. The fluid was analysed for its appearance, total and differential white cell count, specific gravity, total protein concentration and total and intestinal alkaline phosphatase activity. Fluid from cases of medical colic was normal in these respects. Surgical cases were unique in having bloodstained fluid with a high alkaline phosphatase activity. Grass sickness cases had a higher specific gravity and protein content than the cases of medical colic although the appearance of the fluid was similar. Grass sickness cases were distinguishable from cases of surgical colic on the basis of the appearance of the fluid and its lower alkaline phosphatase activity.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗
PubMed1990

Secondary gastric impaction associated with ragwort poisoning in three ponies.

Poisoning with Senecio jacobaea (ragwort) is a common cause of chronic liver disease in horses in Britain. The major clinical signs are the result of hepatic failure but gastric impaction has recently been associated with the disease. The present paper describes three cases of secondary gastric impaction associated with ragwort poisoning. In each case the impaction was the cause of death or necessitated euthanasia.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

An improved method for the study of equine haptoglobin heterogeneity.

Equine serum haptoglobin was separated by polyacrylamide gel isoelectric focusing and visualized by protein staining or Western blotting. Conventional protein staining revealed up to three bands in the pI range 4.17 to 4.44. The blotting technique, however, showed an anodal group of 8 to 10 bands with a pI range of 4.11 to 4.52 and a cathodal group of 4 to 6 bands with a range of 4.55 to 5.14. The blotting method revealed that equine haptoglobin migrates outside the prealbumin area, in contrast to previous reports.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Serum lipids and lipoproteins in equine colic and grass sickness.

Serum total lipids, lipoprotein fractions, triglycerides, cholesterol, phospholipids and free fatty acids were measured in horses with acute, subacute and chronic grass sickness (equine dysautonomia) and in colic cases. The values were compared with those of normal grazing and stabled horses. A marked individual variation occurred, but total lipids, triglycerides and free fatty acids were significantly higher than normal in grass sickness and colic cases with cholesterol was significantly higher than normal in grass sickness cases only. Pre-beta lipoprotein was significantly increased in colic and subacute grass sickness although all abnormal groups showed this fraction which was absent from normal horses. The percentage of alpha 2b lipoprotein was significantly higher in colic and grass sickness. The changes described are typical of those occurring in fat mobilisation in the horse and are considered to be due to a number of factors including decreased food intake, cortisol and catecholamine release and insulin resistance.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Caecal intussusception in two ponies.

One case of caecocaecal intussusception (case 1) and one case of caecocolic intussusception (case 2) in ponies are described. Case 1 showed mild abdominal discomfort for seven days followed by sudden death whereas case 2 showed continuous moderate pain for three weeks. At post mortem examination, case 1 showed intussusception of the base of the caecum into the body whereas in case 2, the entire caecum had invaginated into the right ventral colon. Histopathological examination showed that the lesions in both animals had been present for a long time.

Animals↗