Serum muscle-derived enzymes response during show jumping competition in horse

The effect of two jumping competitions, performed in two consecutive weekends, on serum creatine phosphokinase (CPK), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), urea, creatinine (CREA) concentrations were evaluated in 12 healthy jumper horses.

Blood sampling was performed before the 1(st) day of competition (T0), at the end of each show (J1, J2), on the day after the competition (T1); the same sampling plan was followed during the second weekend (J3, J4 and T2).

One-way repeated measures analysis of variance showed an increase in CPK at J1 and J2 respect to T0 and at J3 and J4 respect to all other time points (p<0.05). LDH activity showed an increase at J2 respect to T0, at J3 respect to T0, J1, J2 and at J4 respect to all other time points (p<0.05). AST values increased at J1 and J2 respect to T0 (p<0.05). A significant increase of CREA was found at J3 respect to T0, T1 and J1 and at J4 respect to all other time points (p<0.05). A decrease in serum urea levels was found at J1 respect to T0, at J2 and J4 respect to T0 and T1; at T2 respect to T0 (p<0.05). A positive correlation between urea/CPK (p=0.0042, r(2)=0.030), LDH/CPK (p<0.0001, r(2)=0.535), CREA/LDH (p<0.0001, r(2)=0.263), CREA/CPK (p<0.0001, r(2)=0.496) was observed.

Our results suggest that 5 days recovery period between the two consecutive competition weekends is insufficient to allow muscle recovery and avoid potential additional stress. The findings obtained in this study improve the knowledge about metabolic changes occurring in athlete horse during the competition to identify muscle alterations following show jumping competitions.