Open AccessThe Diagnostic and Prognostic Value of Alkaline Phosphatase Activity in Serum and Peritoneal Fluid from Horses with Acute Colic
Author(s) -
Saulez Montague N.,
Cebra Christopher K.,
Tornquist Susan J.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
journal of veterinary internal medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.356
H-Index - 103
eISSN - 1939-1676
pISSN - 0891-6640
DOI - 10.1111/j.1939-1676.2004.tb02586.x
Subject(s) - medicine , alkaline phosphatase , peritoneal fluid , gastroenterology , peritonitis , interquartile range , enzyme , biochemistry , chemistry
Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) is an enzyme present in intestinal mucosa, bile, bone, and renal tubule cells. We sought to assess the diagnostic and prognostic relationships of total ALP (ALPt) activity and that of intestine‐derived ALP (ALP i ) in serum and peritoneal fluid of 126 horses with colic. ALPt and ALP i activities were measured in both serum and peritoneal fluid by using both standard and L‐phenylalanine‐based buffers, respectively. Neither ALPt nor ALP i activity were useful in classifying type or severity of intestinal damage. ALPt and ALP i activities in peritoneal fluid were lowest in horses suffering from simple medical colic (39 international units [U]/L [19–60 U/L]; versus 31 U/L [16–44 U/L], median [interquartile range], P < .001) and nonstrangulated surgical lesions (45 U/L [30–62 U/L] versus 36 U/L [23–54 U/L], P < .001), and highest in surgical cases with suspected ulceration (109 U/L [60‐1,113 U/L] versus 83 U/L [52–970 U/L], P < .001), strangulation (114 U/L [69–240 U/L] versus 94 U/L [56–191 U/L], P < .001), peritonitis (313 U/L [110‐2,227 U/L] versus 283 U/L [91‐1,800 U/L], P < .001) or intestinal rupture (687 U/ L [205–852 U/L] versus 564 U/L [166–732 U/L], P < .001). Higher ALPt and ALP i activities in peritoneal fluid were associated with greater intestinal damage, increased probability of surgery, and a worse prognosis. The use of L‐phenylalanine buffer in both serum and peritoneal fluid did not improve the sensitivity of the test. Based on these results, total ALP activity in peritoneal fluid may help in identifying ischemic or inflammatory bowel lesions in horses with acute colic.