No. 47 (2023) , Original Article
No. 47 (2023) | Original Article | Published 2023-06-22

Prognostic Indicators for the Survival of Neonatal Foals Hospitalized in the Savannah of Bogota: Analysis of Blood Gases, Electrolytes and Metabolites

Claudia María Daza Medina
Universidad de La Salle, Bogotá
Martha Susana Franco Ayala
Centro de Perinatología Equina Foal Care
David Alexander Martínez Rodríguez
Universidad de Auburn

Abstract

Newborn foals are susceptible to life-threatening diseases. Therefore, it is important to identify markers that make it possible to predict the survival of these patients, and to initiate the appropriate treatment for each case. This study was conducte at the Foal Care Equine Perinatology Center located in Cajicá, Cundinamarca. The medical records of 106 foals admitted to hospitalization between September 2019 and December 2020 were review and analyze to assess the predictive value of blood gas and electrolyte parameters against the survival of hospitalized neonatal foals. Different statistical tests were use, such as the Kolmogorov Smirnov test, Mann-Whitney U test, binary logistic regression, chi-square tests, odds ratio, and receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. It was observe that the most common acid-base disorder upon admission to hospitalization was metabolic acidosis (37/106), and the most frequent electrolyte imbalance was hypocalcemia (89/106). The variable most significantly related to survival was pH > 7.35 (p = .007; OR = 0.288; CI = 95%, 0.117-0.706). The risk factors associated with non-survival of the foals were pH <7.35, lactate >4.5, and glucose <119.5 mg/dl.
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Keywords

foal
neonate
survival
blood gases
electrolytes
metabolites