Can blood serum amyloid A concentrations in horses differentiate synovial sepsis from extrasynovial inflammation and determine response to treatment?

BackgroundSerum amyloid A (SAA) concentrations in blood and synovial fluid of horses with synovial sepsis have diagnostic value. Studies suggest serial blood SAA measurements could act as a prognostic indicator. This study evaluated the use of serial blood SAA concentrations for monitoring of horses with synovial sepsis.MethodsA prospective clinical trial was performed of horses referred to a single hospital with synovial sepsis that survived (n=17), synovial sepsis that were euthanised (n=5), non-septic intrasynovial pathologies (n=14) or extensive extrasynovial lacerations (n=5). SAA concentrations were determined on admission and every 24 hours thereafter. The area under the concentration–time curve from 0 to 144 hours of each group was compared by Kruskal-Wallis and post hoc Dunn’s tests (P