Energy expenditure of critically ill neonatal foals determined by indirect calorimetry

ENERGY EXPENDITURE OF CRITICALLY ILL
NEONATAL FOALS DETERMINED BY INDIRECT
CALORIMETRY
Jose-Cunilleras E, Viu J, Corradini L, Armengou L,
Cesarini C, Monreal L
Servei de Medicina Interna Equina, Departament de Medicina i
Cirurgia Animals, Facultat de Veterina`ria, Universitat Auto`noma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
Introduction/Objectives: Nutrient requirements of healthy foals
have been estimated based on daily milk intake, however little is
known about the resting energy expenditure of critically ill foals.
The aim of this study was to determine the resting energy expenditure (REE) of critically ill neonatal foals (those suffering
septicemia and/or hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy [HIE]) and
compare these to control foals.
Methods: All critically ill newborn foals admitted to the Equine
Teaching Hospital of Barcelona from March 2009 to February 2010
with a confirmed diagnosis of septicemia or HIE were included. In
addition, healthy neonatal foals and foals presented for non-systemic conditions were used as controls. Energy expenditure, CO2
consumption, O2 production were determined by indirect calorimetry. Respiratory exchange measurements were performed
within 24 h of admission and repeated during hospitalization.
Data are presented as mean SE.
Results: Nineteen foals were enrolled (septicaemia n 5 10, HIE
n 5 2 and controls n 5 7) and a total of 34 measurements were
performed. REE in ill foals on admission was 47.0 2.5 kcal/kg/
d. In contrast, REE before discharge from the hospital in surviving
foals (n 5 5) was higher (68.4 7.0 kcal/kg/d) and numerically
similar to control foals (n 5 7; 62.1 5.5 kcal/kg/d).
Discussion: Energy requirements in healthy growing foals have
been reported as 120–150 kcal/kg/d. In the present study, REE
determined by indirect calorimetry was lower in critically ill foals
upon admission (40–50 kcal/kg/d) and normalized before hospital discharge (60–80 kcal/kg/d).