Abstract

REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY
The use of anti-ulcer medication in the neonatal intensive care unit (ICU) is common due to the concern for development of catastrophic gastric ulcerdisease. In man, however, the use of acid-suppressive medication has been shown in some studies to be a substantial riskfactorfor the development of Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhoea (CDAD), bacteraemia and neonatal sepsis.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of the study reported herein is to evaluate the influence of anti-ulcer medications on the development of diarrhoea in the neonatalfoal.
HYPOTHESIS
The use of anti-ulcer medication does not alter the incidence of diarrhoea in foals treated in an ICU.
METHODS
The records of 1710 foals from 6 different equine hospitals were examined and the use of anti-ulcer drugs was recorded. The presence of in-hospital acquired diarrhoea, CDAD, Clostridium perfringens-associated diarrhoea, neonatal sepsis and salmonellosis were documented. In addition, the presence of gastric ulceration, duration of hospital stay and short-term outcome were examined.
RESULTS
The use of anti-ulcer medications increased the odds of in-hospital diarrhoea by 2.0 (95% CI 1.4-2.9; P < 0.0001), relative to the use of no anti-ulcer medication. There was no significant association of anti-ulcer medication with CDAD (P = 0.3189) (OR 2.0; 95% CI 0.4-9.5). Further, results indicated that decreased prevalence of gastric ulceration was not associated with use of anti-ulcer drugs among foals in the study for which these data were known (P = 0.5522).
CONCLUSIONS
Use of anti-ulcer drugs increases the odds of developing diarrhoea, and may not reduce the incidence of gastric ulceration in hospitalised equine neonates.
POTENTIAL RELEVANCE
The use of anti-ulcer drugs in neonatal foals being treated in a hospital setting should be carefully evaluated on an individual basis to determine if such use is warranted.

Authors

Furr M, Cohen ND, Axon JE, Sanchez LC, Pantaleon L, Haggett E, Campbell R, Tennent-Brown B

Institution

Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Marion DuPont Scott Equine Medical Center, Leesburg, Virginia, USA. mfurr@vt.edu

Source

Equine veterinary journal. Supplement 44 Suppl 41: 2012 Feb pg 80-6

MeSH

Animals
Animals, Newborn
Anti-Ulcer Agents
Clostridium Infections
Diarrhea
Female
Histamine H2 Antagonists
Horse Diseases
Horses
Hospitals, Animal
Intensive Care Units
Male
Omeprazole
Risk Factors
Salmonella Infections, Animal
Sepsis

Pub Type(s)

Journal Article

Language

eng

PubMed ID

22594032