RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To assess the accuracy and reliability of a point-of-care (POC) triglyceride analyzer and to establish reference intervals for blood ([TRIG]POC/WB ) and plasma triglyceride concentrations ([TRIG]POC/PL ) in horses, ponies, and donkeys. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: University teaching hospital. ANIMALS: 120 adult healthy equids (78 horses and ponies, 42 donkeys) and 79 equids suffering from hypertriglyceridemia (73 horses and ponies, 6 donkeys). INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: [TRIG]POC/WB and [TRIG]POC/PL were measured using a POC analyzer and plasma triglyceride concentrations were measured using a standard laboratory assay ([TRIG]LAB/PL ). Reference intervals were determined. Test accuracy was assessed by Bland-Altman comparison of POC measurements with standard laboratory measurements and by evaluating linearity of dilutional series. Test reliability was assessed by repeated serial measurements. [TRIG]POC/WB and [TRIG]POC/PL were below the analytic range of the POC assay (<0.8 mmol/L [<70 mg/dL]) in healthy horses and ponies, whereas the reference intervals were 0.82-3.14 mmol/L (73-278 mg/dL) and 0.87-3.02 mmol/L (77-267 mg/dL), respectively, in donkeys. The POC analyzer systematically overestimated triglyceride concentrations when compared to a standard laboratory assay. The difference between [TRIG]POC/WB and [TRIG]POC/PL was small and clinically negligible. The coefficient of variation of repeated measures performed on the POC analyzer was below 10% for [TRIG]POC/WB and [TRIG]POC/PL , both in horses and donkeys and at all concentration ranges. CONCLUSIONS: The POC analyzer allows accurate and reliable measurement of [TRIG]POC/WB and [TRIG]POC/PL in horses, ponies, and donkeys in clinical settings. Assay-specific reference intervals should be determined for diagnosis and clinical monitoring of hypertriglyceridemia in equids.
