New perspective while dealing with tendinopathies in the horse

In last July 13 issue of EVJ, an interesting article questions the use of aniinflamatory drugs in tendon pathology. A lipoxin A₄ receptor,  FPR2/ALX and also resolvins, protectins and maresins have been studied as “resolving pathways” for inflamation.

“Studies suggest that whilst the endogenous resolution response of tendons to inflammation is initiated, it is insufficient or dysregulated such that inflammation is not adequately ‘switched off,’ perpetuating chronic inflammation and favouring fibrogenic repair”

Age can be another factor reducing the ability to the tissue to cope with inflamation due to inmunosenescence. We all know how older horse´s tendinopathies are more difficult to manage.

The paper says that while it is considered appropiate the use of antinflamatory drugs to relieve the clinical symptoms of the excessive early acute inflamation, the long term use of these drugs may be associated with adverse effects on tendon mechanical properties and propensity for rupture.

Future therapeutic goal would be modulating rather than suppresing the inflamatory process.

Tendinopathy of SDFT in a 16 y.o. mare. Lateral is to the right 

Hyperinsulinemia leads to increased vascular resistance in an isolated digit model

Dr Gauff from Austria and col. from UK have studied the effect of hyperinsulinemia on vascular resistance.

They conclude that with the insuline increase, there is a marked increase of vascular resistance and overexpression of endotelin 1. It is only an ex-vivo study, and more work needs to be done to extrapolate to in  vivo situation, but this is a step forward to try to explain the relationship between insuline and laminitis.
Here is the link to the paper:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/e1o7ape7rjtgnrh/evj12040-%20Hyperinsulinemia.pdf

Round table about regenerative therapies in the summer camp of UCM in El Escorial (Madrid)

Very interesting round table about regenerative therapies with Dr Chamorro from Real Madrid FC , Dr. Guillen, from Clinica Cemtrum and Dr. Paloma Fores from Universidad Complutense. Dr. Guillen stated that no regenerative therapy except condrocite transplant could possibly regenerate cartilage. Althoug a good number of scientific publications are pointing at Platelet Rich Plasma as effective therapy for orthopedic injuries, Dr. Gillen also doubt that PRP (wich he said a colleage calls "put on a show",  "paripé"in spanish), is useful.