Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39164027›Full record

ArticleEquine veterinary journal2025

Steamed hay and alfalfa pellets for the management of severe equine asthma.

Antoine Symoens, Roxane Westerfeld, Berta Mozo Vives, Valentine André, Laurine Moulon, Marine Collomb, Hélène Richard, Tristan Juette, Christian Bédard, Mathilde Leclère

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Equine veterinary journal, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Antoine SymoensDepartment of Clinical Sciences, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, St-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada.
Roxane WesterfeldDepartment of Clinical Sciences, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, St-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada.
Berta Mozo VivesDepartment of Clinical Sciences, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, St-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada.
Valentine AndréDepartment of Clinical Sciences, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, St-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada.
Laurine MoulonDepartment of Clinical Sciences, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, St-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada.
Marine CollombDepartment of Clinical Sciences, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, St-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada.
Hélène RichardDepartment of Clinical Sciences, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, St-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0892-5799
Tristan JuetteFaculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, St-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada.
Christian BédardDepartment of Pathology and Microbiology, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, St-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada.
Mathilde LeclèreDepartment of Clinical Sciences, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, St-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3910-0370

Funding

2021 Advancement in Equine Research Award (supported by Boehringer Ingelheim)Equine Health Fund of the Université de Montréal (supported by Zoetis)Haygain Limited
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSteaming hay significantly reduces respirable particles and provides a palatable alternative to dry hay for horses with asthma, but there are few prospective studies demonstrating the clinical efficacy of steamed hay.

objectivesTo compare the efficacy of alfalfa pellets and steamed hay in improving lung function and inflammation of horses with severe asthma (SEA). STUDY

designControlled crossover study.

methodsTen horses with SEA were enrolled and nine completed the study. Horses were housed indoors and fed hay. Once in exacerbation, they were fed pellets and steamed hay for 4 weeks, in a crossover design. Weighted clinical scores and lung function were recorded weekly. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) cytology and mucus scores were recorded before and after each diet.

resultsBased on linear mixed model (LMM) analysis, weighted clinical scores significantly improved over time (p < 0.001, no diet effect or time-diet interactions). With pellets, weighted clinical scores decreased from (median (interquartile range)) 13 (5.5) to 2 (1.5), while with steamed hay, they decreased from 10 (9.5) to 6 (8.5). With pellets, lung resistance decreased significantly from a baseline of (mean (SD)) 2.62 (0.77) cmH MAIN LIMITATIONS: A small number of horses in a research setting. Dust was not measured in the stalls.

conclusionsClinical scores, lung function and BALF inflammation of horses with SEA improved with steamed hay and pellets, but the effect on lung function was more pronounced with pellets.

Indexed as

Animal FeedAsthmaHorse DiseasesMedicago sativaAnimalsBronchoalveolar Lavage FluidCross-Over StudiesDietFemaleHorsesMaledustenvironmentheaveshorsemucusrecurrent airway obstruction

Identifiers

PMID39164027
PMCPMC11982419

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LicenceCC BY-NC
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.