Concentrations of 15-ketodihydro-PGF2α, cortisol, and progesterone in the plasma of healthy and pathologic newborn foals

Information regarding the plasma hormone profiles of prostaglandins (PGs), cortisol (C), and progesterone (P4) during pathologic processes in newborn foals is scarce. The aim of this study was to determine the plasma concentrations of these hormones in diseased foals (n = 40) and healthy at-term foals (n = 24) (Equus caballus) during the first 2 weeks of life. Blood samples were collected daily, before any treatment with nonsteroidal drugs in diseased foals, and plasma was analyzed by radioimmunoassay. 15-Ketodihydro-PGF2α (PGM) was consistently higher in diseased foals than in healthy foals, probably related to roles of PGs in completing organ maturation and/or the presence of oxidative stress or inflammation. Similar trends were observed for C and P4. In diseased newborns, only PGM was significantly higher in nonsurviving foals, although C showed a similar profile. When specific diseases were considered, the levels of PGM and C were lower in premature foals at 12 h of life, whereas the concentration of P4 was higher than in controls. The results of this study demonstrate the differences in plasma hormone levels between healthy and pathologic newborn foals, particularly during the first 2 d of life, probably reflecting the inability of diseased foals to cope with the transition between fetal and neonatal life.