Physiological Parameters of Endurance Horses Pre- Compared to Post-Race, Correlated with Performance: A Two Race Study from Scandinavia

Table 2

Haematological values for horses in race B, taken before (8–12 hrs) and after the race (average of 3 hrs and 48 mins and 24 hrs, respectively). Values are presented as mean ± s.d.

	Pre-race	Post-race I	Post-race II	Changes pre-race to post-race I	Changes post-race I to post-race II
WBC	8.98±1.46	12.22±2.26	9.42±1.67	36% ↑ 𝑃<0.001	23% ↓ 𝑃<0.0001
RBC	8.28±0.99	8.55±0.72	7.97±0.85	3% ↑ 𝑃<0.0001	7% ↓ 𝑃<0.001
HGB	8.58±0.95	8.86±0.78	8.23±0.78	3% ↑ 𝑃<0.001	7% ↓ 𝑃<0.01
HCT	0.38±0.04	0.4±0.04	0.36±0.03	5% ↑ 𝑃<0.05	NS
MCV	45.71±2.65	45.33±2.5	42.8±7.35	1% ↓ 𝑃<0.0001	NS
MCH	1.04±0.05	1.04±0.06	1.04±0.05	0% ↓ 𝑃<0.0001	0% ↓ 𝑃<0.0001
MCHC	22.72±0.49	22.89±0.39	23.2±0.33	1% ↑ 𝑃<0.001	1% ↑ 𝑃<0.001
PLT	174.44±46.61	169±48.18	161.25±29.41	NS	5% ↓ 𝑃<0.001
MPV	6.04±0.63	6.41±1.76	6.14±0.73	NS	NS
% NEUT	66.61±6.15	80.95±3.91	73.86±5.23	NS	9% ↓ 𝑃<0.01
% LYMPH	24.78±5.9	14.27±4.18	20.28±4.74	NS	42% ↑ 𝑃<0.001
% MONO	4.11±1.16	3.44±0.98	3.12±0.69	16% ↓ 𝑃<0.001	NS
% EOS	3.19±2.48	0.47±0.3	1.7±1.43	NS	NS
% BASO	0.61±0.58	0.48±0.29	0.48±0.5	21% ↓ 𝑃<0.0001	NS
% LUC	0.69±0.11	0.37±0.12	0.54±0.14	NS	NS
Relative NEUT	6.01±1.26	9.93±2.09	6.97±1.39	65% ↑ 𝑃<0.01	30% ↓ 𝑃<0.001
Relative LYMPH	2.19±0.51	1.71±0.48	1.9±0.49	22% ↓ 𝑃<0.05	11% ↑ 𝑃<0.001
Relative MONO	0.37±0.11	0.42±0.16	0.29±0.08	14% ↑ 𝑃<0.001	31% ↓ 𝑃<0.05
Relative EOS	0.25±0.14	0.06±0.03	0.17±0.16	NS	183% ↑ 𝑃<0.001
Relative BASO	0.06±0.06	0.06±0.03	0.05±0.04	0% ↓ 𝑃<0.0001	NS
Relative LUC	0.06±0.02	0.04±0.01	0.05±0.02	NS	NS

Reference values (given by the analysing laboratory), WBC (4.32–13.2 U/L). RBC (not specified. About 0–10). HGB (57.0–74.0 g/L). HCT (99–109 mmol/L). MCV (4.16–6.39 mmol/L). MCH (13.10–25.10 𝜇mol/L). MCHC (2.44–4.80 mmol/L). PLT (28.0–40.0 g/L). MPV (5.5–10.1 fL).
Statistical significance: NS 𝑃>0.05. % = [(mean prevalue − mean postvalue)/(mean prevalue) * 100].