Use of the Accusport semi-automated analyser to determine blood lactate asan aid in the clinical assessment of horses with colic

The most useful diagnostic methods in the initial evaluation of horses with colic assess the morphological and functional status of the gastrointestin al tract and cardiovascular status. This evaluation is best achieved using a combination of clinical and laboratory data. Blood lactate concentration (BL) is one of these variables. BL rises mainly due to poor tissue perfusio n and anaerobic glycolysis associated with shock, providing an indicator of both the severity of disease and its prognosis. A hand-held lactate meter, Accusport, provides a rapid (60 seconds), inexpensive dry-chemical-based d etermination of BL. This trial evaluated the Accusport's ability to provide BL data as an adjunct to the initial clinical evaluation of horses with co lic. The accuracy of the Accusport was tested by evaluation of its intercha ngeability with the benchmark enzymatic kit evaluation of BL in a trial usi ng data collected firstly from 10 clinically normal control horses and subs equently from 48 horses presented with signs of colic. The BL values were r ecorded together with the clinical variables of heart rate (HR), capillary refill time (CRT), haematocrit (Hct), and pain character and severity on th e initial assessment of the colic horses. Information regarding choice of t herapeutic management (medical or surgical) and eventual case outcome (full recovery or died/euthanased) was recorded. The Accusport was found to be i nterchangeable with the enzymatic kit for recording BL values in colic hors es with BL <10 mmol/l, which is within the BL range associated with surviva l. The interchangeability of an additional, laboratory-based wet chemical a ssay for BL, the Stat 7 was simultaneously evaluated for the colic and cont rol horses. The Stat 7 was found to be interchangeable with the enzymatic k it for BL determination of colic horses. No linear associations between BL values with HR, CRT, Hct or pain assessment were observed. No relationship with either selection of therapeutic method or eventual case outcome was ob served. All horses with BL >8 mmol/l died or were euthanased.