{"title":"The Influence of Season on Endocrine Testing in Equids.","authors":"Ana Lopes, Andy E Durham","doi":"10.1016/j.cveq.2026.07.006","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Endocrine function in equids is strongly influenced by season, with photoperiod as the primary driver and additional modulation by factors such as breed, geography, age, and nutrition. These seasonal effects have important implications for the interpretation of endocrine diagnostic tests. Circannual rhythms influence pituitary activity, resulting in predictable seasonal variation in adrenocorticotropic hormone concentrations and forming the basis for seasonally adjusted diagnostic thresholds for pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction. Seasonal effects on insulin dynamics are less understood but increasingly support a winter-associated increase in serum concentrations. Recognizing seasonal patterns improves the interpretation of endocrine test results and supports accurate clinical decision-making.</p>","PeriodicalId":49382,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Clinics of North America-Equine Practice","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.4000,"publicationDate":"2026-09-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Veterinary Clinics of North America-Equine Practice","FirstCategoryId":"97","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cveq.2026.07.006","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"VETERINARY SCIENCES","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Endocrine function in equids is strongly influenced by season, with photoperiod as the primary driver and additional modulation by factors such as breed, geography, age, and nutrition. These seasonal effects have important implications for the interpretation of endocrine diagnostic tests. Circannual rhythms influence pituitary activity, resulting in predictable seasonal variation in adrenocorticotropic hormone concentrations and forming the basis for seasonally adjusted diagnostic thresholds for pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction. Seasonal effects on insulin dynamics are less understood but increasingly support a winter-associated increase in serum concentrations. Recognizing seasonal patterns improves the interpretation of endocrine test results and supports accurate clinical decision-making.
期刊介绍：
Veterinary Clinics of North America: Equine Practice presents those in the veterinary medicine field with the most current treatment of horses, updates on the latest advances, and provides a sound basis for choosing treatment options. Published 3 times a year—in April, August, and December—each issue features expert, state-of-the-art reviews on a single topic in equine practice, including gastroenterology, imaging, infectious diseases, nutrition, orthopedics, pathology, pharmacology and therapeutics, and surgery.
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