Evaluating a Test for Assessing Insulin Response and Sensitivity in Horses

Equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) is a major health concern and the most common cause of laminitis in horses. Recent studies have reported an association between high blood insulin (hyperinsulinemia) and laminitis in animals with EMS, but veterinarians are in need of a clinically practical and economical test for detecting insulin abnormalities in these at-risk animals. In research settings, a frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test (FSIGTT) is often used to assess glucose and insulin dynamics, but this test is expensive and not feasible in practice settings. Researchers will compare the values obtained from an oral sugar test to those derived from a FSIGTT in a group of horses and ponies that have a wide range of insulin sensitivities. Results will determinethe oral sugar test's ability to assess insulin responses and sensitivity. and will provide a basis for evidence-based recommendations regarding the use of this test in clinical practice.