Valoración de respuesta inflamatoria subclínica en caballos mediante monitoreo de la proteína amiloide A sérica post-ejercicio

Abstract

The early detection of subclinical inflammatory responses in sport horses is a useful tool for preventing exercise-associated musculoskeletal injuries, overcoming the limitations of conventional clinical examination during moderate exercise. The primary objective of this article was to examine serum amyloid A (SAA) levels as a biomarker of subclinical inflammation induced by physical exercise in horses from the Archidona region. Methodologically, a quasi-experimental design was used with a sample of three male mixed-breed horses that underwent a 9-km exercise protocol on uneven terrain. SAA was quantified by nephelometry and cortisol by electrochemiluminescence at baseline (T₀) and post-exercise (24 h, T₁), and these were correlated with heart rate (HR), respiratory rate, and the comfort scale (ECAS). One hundred percent of the horses evaluated scored 0 on the pain scale, confirming the absence of post-exercise abnormalities or clinical signs of pain. At the physiological and molecular levels, the results demonstrated a moderate, specifically positive correlation with moderate statistical significance between heart rate and SAA (R = 0.31), with SAA showing sensitivity in detecting elevated individual inflammatory responses (up to 18.6 mg/L). Cortisol, meanwhile, showed a significant post-exercise reduction (p=0.046) compared to baseline, indicating adequate activation of the homeostatic recovery phase coupled with the subjects’ cardiorespiratory and ethological stability. It is concluded that variations in SAA are not associated with a significant subclinical inflammatory response; however, they are related to other biomarkers of physical activity in horses.

Keywords Cortisol; equine exercise; serum amyloid A; subclinical inflammation; biomarkers.