Hiperlipemia em equídeos: revisão de literatura

Abstract

The hyperlipaemia is a disorder of lipid metabolism that results in the accumulation of serum triglycerides, exceeding 500 mg/dL. It has been reported mainly in ponies and donkeys with negative energy balance, resulting from primary diseases, like obesity, pregnancy, lactation and stress, or may be secondary, endoparasites including, pneumonia, colitis and laminitis. Several reports claim that the disease is more common in the breed Shetland ponies, but not exclusively, affecting also the miniature donkeys and horses. Some authors classify the disease as “Shetland Syndrome” and occurs predominantly in adults animals. The clinical signs are not specific and often results in liver failure and/or renal dysfunction due to lipidosis. The ventral edema not related to the birth occurs in 50% of cases, as a consequence of hypoalbuminemia, loss of appetite progress to anorexia, ad somnolence and depression to hepatic coma. The diagnosis of hyperlipaemia should be aided by laboratory tests, confirmed by levels of circulating triglycerides. Plasma concentrations of triglycerides should be measured as part of the routine biochemical evaluation on ponies, miniature horses and donkeys, or by their predisposition to the disease in horses and also hospitalized for stress, illness or hypophagia. Treatment consists of correction of the primary disease, correction fluid, electrolytis and reduced lipolysis. Nutritional support is considered the most important factor as treatment of disease, it reverses the negative energy balance. The therapies most widely discussed are the use of heparin and insulin. Although the epidemiology, pathogenesis and clinical signs are well established, the hyperlipaemia is a disease associated with high morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this work is to review some aspects of hyperlipaemia in equines.