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Urea as a measure of dilution of equine synovial fluid
Author(s) -
GOUGH M. R.,
MUNROE G. A.,
MAYHEW I. G.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
equine veterinary journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.82
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 2042-3306
pISSN - 0425-1644
DOI - 10.2746/042516402776181213
Subject(s) - synovial fluid , urea , dilution , serial dilution , horse , chemistry , saline , medicine , chromatography , endocrinology , pathology , biochemistry , osteoarthritis , biology , paleontology , thermodynamics , physics , alternative medicine
Summary This paper tests the hypothesis that serum and synovial urea concentrations are similar and that urea concentration can be used as an accurate marker for synovial fluid dilution in normal equine joints. Serum and synovial fluid urea concentrations were compared in 42 horses and were equivalent for individual horses (P<0.0001). Mean ± s.e. serum concentration was 6.1 ± 0.552 mmol/l and synovial concentration 6.0 ± 0.459 mmol/l. The normal range for synovial urea concentration was determined as 2.5–7.7 mmol/l. The synovial urea concentration from different synovial structures in individual horses were compared and were equivalent (P = 0.002). Known dilutions of synovial fluid with saline were made. The actual and expected synovial urea concentrations were compared and were equivalent (P<0.001). An accurate method of calculating synovial fluid dilution has been determined.