MSCs) results in improved healing compared with a controlled exercise rehabilitation program alone.
Strain of the superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) injury is one of the most common and significant injuries in racehorses. The tendon plays a crucial role in the movement and stability of a horse's limb, particularly during high-speed activities like racing.
The primary treatment is rest, often for months, to allow the tendon fibres to heal. Full recovery can take over a year, but even then, the tendon may remain weaker and more prone to re-injury, especially if the horse returns to high-intensity activities. Tendons have a limited ability to regenerate, and the damaged fibres are often replaced by scar tissue, which is mechanically inferior and increases the risk of future injury.
Research by Rachel O. Salz and colleagues investigated how SDFT (superficial digital flexor tendon) injuries in Thoroughbred racehorses respond to different treatments. They compared the effects of a controlled exercise recovery program alone with those of the same program combined with either autologous bone marrow-derived stem cells (BM-MSCs) or allogenic adipose-derived stem cells (A-MSCs).
(Autologous stem cells are taken from the same individual receiving the treatment. Allogenic stem cells come from a donor)
The study analysed clinical and race records of 213 Thoroughbreds to see if stem cell treatments improved the chances of horses returning to racing compared to just using the exercise recovery program.
One group of horses followed a controlled exercise rehabilitation program (CERP) without stem cell treatment, while another group followed the CERP with additional treatment using either BM-MSCs or A-MSCs injected into the damaged tendon.
The study found that horses treated with intralesional bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells were three times more likely to return to racing compared to those undergoing only the controlled exercise rehabilitation program. Additionally, these horses were at least twice as likely to participate in five or more races after returning, indicating that the treatment had a lasting impact beyond just recovery.
In contrast, the response to adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (A-MSCs) was less encouraging. The analysis showed no significant increase in the likelihood of returning to racing or completing five or more races with A-MSC treatment compared to the rehabilitation program alone. However, the researchers noted that the smaller number of horses in this treatment group might have limited the ability to detect a potential effect.
For more details, see:
Treatment of racehorse superficial digital flexor tendonitis: A comparison of stem cell treatments to controlled exercise rehabilitation in 213 cases
Rachel O. Salz, Christopher R. B. Elliott, Tomas Zuffa, Euan D. Bennet, Benjamin J. Ahern
Equine Veterinary Journal (2023) Vol 55, pp 979-987
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