Symoens Antoine, Westerfeld Roxane, Vives Berta Mozo, André Valentine, Moulon Laurine, Collomb Marine, Richard Hélène, Juette Tristan, Bédard Christian, Leclère Mathilde
Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, St-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada.
Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, St-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada.
Equine Vet J. 2025 May;57(3):756-765. doi: 10.1111/evj.14209. Epub 2024 Aug 20.
Steaming hay significantly reduces respirable particles and provides a palatable alternative to dry hay for horses with asthma, but there are few prospective studies demonstrating the clinical efficacy of steamed hay.
To compare the efficacy of alfalfa pellets and steamed hay in improving lung function and inflammation of horses with severe asthma (SEA).
Controlled crossover study.
Ten horses with SEA were enrolled and nine completed the study. Horses were housed indoors and fed hay. Once in exacerbation, they were fed pellets and steamed hay for 4 weeks, in a crossover design. Weighted clinical scores and lung function were recorded weekly. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) cytology and mucus scores were recorded before and after each diet.
Based on linear mixed model (LMM) analysis, weighted clinical scores significantly improved over time (p < 0.001, no diet effect or time-diet interactions). With pellets, weighted clinical scores decreased from (median (interquartile range)) 13 (5.5) to 2 (1.5), while with steamed hay, they decreased from 10 (9.5) to 6 (8.5). With pellets, lung resistance decreased significantly from a baseline of (mean (SD)) 2.62 (0.77) cmHO/L/s to 1.17 (0.66), 0.79 (0.54), 0.70 (0.20), 0.62 (0.18) on Weeks 1-4, respectively (LMM with post hoc tests, p < 0.001). With steamed hay, the resistance decreased significantly from a baseline of 2.34 (0.93) cmHO/L/s to 1.38 (0.49) and 1.51 (0.66) on Weeks 1 and 2, respectively (p < 0.03). Neutrophils BALF decreased significantly with both diets (pellets: 40.2 (24.4) to 20.1 (11.0) %; steamed hay 30.9 (20.2) to 25.7 (17.6) %; LMM, p = 0.006).
A small number of horses in a research setting. Dust was not measured in the stalls.
Clinical scores, lung function and BALF inflammation of horses with SEA improved with steamed hay and pellets, but the effect on lung function was more pronounced with pellets.
对干草进行蒸煮可显著减少可吸入颗粒物，并为患有哮喘的马匹提供一种比干草更可口的选择，但很少有前瞻性研究证明蒸煮干草的临床疗效。
比较苜蓿颗粒饲料和蒸煮干草对重度哮喘马匹（SEA）肺功能和炎症的改善效果。
对照交叉研究。
招募了10匹患有SEA的马匹，9匹完成了研究。马匹饲养在室内并喂食干草。一旦病情加重，采用交叉设计，给它们喂食颗粒饲料和蒸煮干草4周。每周记录加权临床评分和肺功能。在每种饮食前后记录支气管肺泡灌洗液（BALF）的细胞学和黏液评分。
基于线性混合模型（LMM）分析，加权临床评分随时间显著改善（p < 0.001，无饮食效应或时间-饮食交互作用）。喂食颗粒饲料时，加权临床评分从（中位数（四分位间距））13（5.5）降至2（1.5），而喂食蒸煮干草时，从10（9.5）降至6（8.5）。喂食颗粒饲料时，肺阻力从基线（平均值（标准差））2.62（0.77）cmH₂O/L/s分别在第1 - 4周显著降至1.17（0.66）、0.79（0.54）、0.70（0.20）、0.62（0.18）（LMM及事后检验，p < 0.001）。喂食蒸煮干草时，阻力从基线2.34（0.93）cmH₂O/L/s分别在第1周和第2周显著降至1.38（0.49）和1.51（0.66）（p < 0.03）。两种饮食方式下，BALF中的中性粒细胞均显著减少（颗粒饲料：从40.2（24.4）%降至20.1（11.0）%；蒸煮干草：从30.9（20.2）%降至25.7（17.6）%；LMM，p = 0.006）。
研究环境中的马匹数量较少。未对马厩中的灰尘进行测量。
SEA马匹的临床评分及肺功能和BALF炎症在喂食蒸煮干草和颗粒饲料后均有改善，但颗粒饲料对肺功能的影响更显著。
