Misoprostol is superior to combined omeprazole-sucralfate for the treatment of equine gastric glandular disease.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have demonstrated a poor response to healing of gastric glandular lesions with oral omeprazole and other medications.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy of two novel treatments (misoprostol [M] and combined omeprazole-sucralfate [OS]) in the horse for gastric glandular disease.

STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, clinical study.

METHODS: Sixty-three sports horses with grade >1/4 glandular disease were identified by gastroscopy. Horses received either 5 μg/kg of misoprostol per os BID one hour prior to feeding or a combination of 4 mg/kg enteric coated omeprazole per os SID and 12 mg/kg sucralfate per os BID where drugs were given one hour prior to feeding and sucralfate given 60 minutes after omeprazole; allocation was dependent upon centre. Gastroscopy was repeated at 28-35 days. Evaluators of the gastroscopy images were blinded to the treatments the horses received and images were reviewed independently.

RESULTS: The most common presenting sign in both treatment groups was poor performance (Overall - 65.1%; M - 60.5% and OS - 75%). Overall healing (p<0.001; OR = 11 [2.8-45]) and improvement (p = 0.006; OR = 11 [1.9-59]) of lesions was associated with resolution of clinical signs. Misoprostol was shown to be superior to combined omeprazole-sucralfate both for healing (M-72% [95%CI-43-67] and OS-20% [95% CI - 7-41]; p<0.001) and improvement (M-98% [95%CI-90-100] and OS-65% [95% CI - 43-83]; p<0.001).

MAIN LIMITATIONS: Relatively small, clinical study, reliance on client questionnaire data, clients not blinded to the treatments the horse received, diet could have affected drug pharmacodynamics although mimics clinical practice and no validated scoring system available for glandular lesions.

CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that gastric glandular disease does indeed result in clinical signs. In this population of horses, misoprostol was superior to omeprazole and sucralfate and warrants further evaluation in a large scale, multi-centre trial. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.