A new multicentre retrospective study has examined which clinical factors are most strongly associated with short-term outcome in horses referred for colic, analysing cases from three European equine referral hospitals.
The study, published in Animals, reviewed 236 clinical records from horses admitted for colic between 2017 and 2019 at the Veterinary Teaching Hospitals of the University of Bologna, the University of Pisa and the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. After applying inclusion criteria, 138 cases were included in the final analysis.
Overall, short-term survival to hospital discharge was 79%, with 21% of horses either dying or being euthanised.
Researchers collected detailed data, including signalment, clinical examination findings at admission, laboratory results, SIRS status and score, type of lesion, treatment approach and outcome. Statistical modelling was then used to identify which factors were independently associated with survival.
While several variables showed associations with outcome on initial analysis, including sex, heart rate, respiratory rate, SIRS score and treatment type, only two factors remained significant in the final multivariable model: age and colic type.
Strangulating colic was strongly associated with a negative outcome. Horses with obstructive non-strangulating colic had markedly higher odds of survival compared with those suffering strangulating lesions. This reflects the greater severity of vascular compromise, intestinal ischaemia and necrosis commonly seen in strangulating disease.
Age was also identified as a significant predictor. Older horses were more likely to have a poor short-term outcome, with the analysis indicating that each five-year increase in age was associated with a substantial reduction in the odds of survival.
The authors note that equine colic remains a multifactorial condition, and that clinical parameters such as elevated heart rate, respiratory rate, high SIRS scores and increased blood lactate remain important for triage and monitoring, even if they did not retain independent significance in the final regression model.
They also highlight the limitations inherent in retrospective studies, including potential selection bias, variation between centres and incomplete historical data. However, the multicentre design and use of standardised criteria were intended to improve representativeness and robustness.
The findings reinforce the importance of early referral, careful assessment of lesion type and realistic discussions around prognosis, particularly in older horses and in cases involving strangulating intestinal disease.
