Are bisphosphonates a more effective treatment than intra-articular steroids in horses with distal hock osteoarthritis?

• Published in: Veterinary evidence Vol. 5; no. 1
• Main Author: Greene, Hannah
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: RCVS Knowledge 11-03-2020
• Subjects: bisphosphonates; distal tarsal joints; equine; intra-articular; osteoarthritis
• ISSN: 2396-9776; 2396-9776
• DOI: 10.18849/ve.v5i1.235

PICO question
In horses that are lame due to osteoarthritis of the distal tarsal joints (bone spavin), is intra-articular medication with corticosteroids compared to systemic bisphosphonate treatment more effective in long-term lameness reduction?

Clinical bottom line
Category of research question
Treatment
The number and type of study designs reviewed
Three papers were critically reviewed. Two were randomised controlled trials, and one was a retrospective study.
Strength of evidence
Weak
Outcomes reported
There is insufficient evidence to support the use of systemic bisphosphonates over intra-articular corticosteroids to treat distal hock osteoarthritis in horses.
Conclusion
Horses with distal hock osteoarthritis should not be treated with systemic bisphosphonates until further blinded randomised controlled trials are completed. Additionally, supportive evidence for the use of intra-articular corticosteroids as a treatment for degenerative hock osteoarthritis is limited to a retrospective study where modest, short-term improvements are reported: 58% of horses improved after an average of 56 days (Labens et al., 2007). Evidence does not support significant improvement in long-term outcomes: 50% of horses improved after 4 months (Watts et al., 2016) and only 38% of horses improved after a mean follow-up period of 787 days (Labens et al., 2007).

How to apply this evidence in practice
The application of evidence into practice should take into account multiple factors, not limited to: individual clinical expertise, patient’s circumstances and owners’ values, country, location or clinic where you work, the individual case in front of you, the availability of therapies and resources.
Knowledge Summaries are a resource to help reinforce or inform decision making. They do not override the responsibility or judgement of the practitioner to do what is best for the animal in their care.