Career outcome of Thoroughbred racehorses with metacarpo/metatarsophalangeal joint dorsal chip fracture managed nonsurgically and surgically: A retrospective cohort study

Autor: P. H. L. Ramzan, Claire E. Wylie
Rok vydání: 2020
Předmět:
Zdroj: Equine Veterinary Journal. 52:823-831
ISSN: 2042-3306
0425-1644
DOI: 10.1111/evj.13253
Popis: BACKGROUND Arthroscopy has been advocated as the treatment of choice for dorsal osteochondral chip fracture of the metacarpo/metatarsophalangeal (MCP/MTP) joint. However, there is no published research on racing performance outcomes of horses with this pathology managed nonsurgically. OBJECTIVES To compare racing career outcomes of Thoroughbred racehorses with nonsurgically (non-SX) or surgically (SX) managed MCP/MTP dorsal osteochondral chip fracture alongside a cohort of horses with no dorsal osteochondral chip fracture (unexposed). STUDY DESIGN Retrospective cohort study conducted between 2006 and 2014. METHODS Radiographs of Thoroughbred racehorses were reviewed to identify MCP/MTP dorsal osteochondral chip fractures. Unexposed horses under the care of the same practice were recruited randomly from training records. Racing outcomes were analysed using survival analysis and logistic, linear and negative binomial regression techniques. RESULTS Dorsal osteochondral chip fractures were identified in 98 (70 non-SX, 28 SX) horses and compared with 648 unexposed horses. There was no significant difference among non-SX, SX, and unexposed horses in respect of total career starts, or likelihood of ever winning, placing, or earning money in a race (P > .05). SX horses had a significantly higher rate of wins/start than non-SX horses (rate ratio 1.6, CI 1.1-2.4, P = .02) and unexposed horses (rate ratio 1.9, CI 1.3-2.8, P = .001). Total career earnings for the SX horses were 4.1 times that of the unexposed horses (95% CI 1.2-14.5, P = .03), although total career earnings did not differ significantly between non-SX and unexposed horses (P = .8). MAIN LIMITATIONS Retrospective observational study where management technique was not randomised or blinded. Small number of surgically managed horses and potential selection bias for surgical management. CONCLUSIONS Nonsurgical management of this injury appears to be a valid management choice given that it was not associated with significant effects on racing career performance relative to a large unexposed cohort in this study population.
Databáze: OpenAIRE
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