The cresty neck score is an independent predictor of insulin dysregulation

Insulin dysregulation is the key feature of Equine Metabolic Syndrome and a important feature of Equine Cushing’s. It is closely related to predisposition of founder in horses. Here they have looked at the relationship of cresty necks independent of body condition. Comparing cresty neck scores (CNS) to body condition scores it was found the CNS was more predictive of insulin dysregulation than body condition scores. Ponies with a CNS equal to or greater than 3 had a 5 times greater odds of being insulin-dysregulated than the rest of the test subjects (fleshy to obese with low CNS). To put this to practical use you need to be able to score your horses crest. The scale used here is a 5 point scale with 1 being no palpable crest and a five being a crest so large it has flopped over. To help you with this we will provide an image of a CNS of “3” right in the middle of the scale. See below…

PLoS One. 2019 Jul 24;14(7):e0220203.
The cresty neck score is an independent predictor of insulin dysregulation in ponies.
Fitzgerald DM1, Anderson ST2, Sillence MN1, de Laat MA1.

Author information:
1. Earth, Environmental and Biological Sciences School, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
2. School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia.
Abstract

Generalized obesity, regional adiposity, hyperinsulinemia and hypertriglyceridemia are all potential indicators of equine metabolic syndrome (EMS). This study aimed to assess the relationship between morphometric measurements of body condition and metabolic hormone concentrations in ponies, with and without a neck crest or generalised obesity. Twenty-six ponies were assigned a body condition score (BCS) and cresty neck score (CNS). Height, girth, and neck measurements were taken. An oral glucose test (OGT; 0.75g dextrose/kg BW) was performed and blood samples collected prior to and 2 hours post dosing. Basal blood samples were analysed for blood glucose, serum insulin, triglyceride and leptin, and plasma HMW adiponectin concentrations. Post-prandial samples were analysed for serum insulin concentration. The ponies were grouped as having a) a normal to fleshy body status (BCS =7 and CNS =2; n = 10); b) having a high CNS, but without generalised obesity (BCS =7 and CNS =3; n = 11), or c) being obese (BCS =8 and CNS =1; n = 5). Responses to the OGT indicated that both normal and insulin-dysregulated ponies were included in the cohort. Post-prandial serum insulin was positively associated with CNS (P<0.035) and ponies with a CNS = 3 had 5 times greater odds of being insulin-dysregulated. The high CNS group had a greater insulin response to the OGT than those in the normal/fleshy group (P = 0.006), whereas obese ponies did not differ from the other two groups. Basal HMW adiponectin was negatively correlated with post-prandial insulin concentrations (r = -0.5, P = 0.009), as well as being decreased in the group with a high CNS, compared to the obese group (P = 0.05). Cresty neck score was more predictive of insulin dysregulation than BCS, and this may be relevant to the diagnosis of EMS. Adiponectin may also be a measure of insulin dysregulation that is independent of body condition.