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5 January 2023 RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN REPRODUCTIVE AND BONE BIOMARKERS AND OSTEOARTHRITIS IN ZOO ASIAN (ELEPHAS MAXIMUS) AND AFRICAN (LOXODONTA AFRICANA) ELEPHANTS
Daniella E. Chusyd, Janine L. Brown, Lilian Golzarri-Arroyo, Stephanie L. Dickinson, Virginia B. Kraus, Jessica Siegal-Willott, Timothy M. Griffin, Janet L. Huebner, Katie L. Edwards, David B. Allison, Steven N. Austad
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Abstract

Osteoarthritis (OA) is common in zoo Asian (Elephas maximus) and African (Loxodonta africana) elephants. This study investigated the relationship between confirmed or suspected OA with ovarian cyclicity, gonadotropins, progestagens, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and collagen type I (CTX-I) in zoo elephants. In Asian elephants, odds of having confirmed or suspected OA decreased with cycling (OR = 0.22, P = 0.016; OR = 0.29, P = 0.020, respectively), however, not when adjusted for age (odds ratio [OR] = 0.31, P = 0.112; OR = 0.58, P = 0.369, respectively). In African elephants, none of the models between confirmed OA and cycling status were significant (P > 0.060), while the odds of having suspected OA decreased with cycling (OR = 0.12, P = 0.001), even after adjusting for age (OR = 0.15, P = 0.005). Progestagens (Asian elephants P > 0.096; African elephants P > 0.415), LH (Asian P > 0.129; African P > 0.359), and FSH (Asian P > 0.738; African P > 0.231) did not differ with confirmed or suspected OA status, unadjusted. CTX-I concentrations were not related to OA status (P > 0.655). This study concluded hormonal changes may not have a strong impact on OA, so additional investigation into other serologic biomarkers is warranted.

Copyright 2022 by American Association of Zoo Veterinarians
Daniella E. Chusyd, Janine L. Brown, Lilian Golzarri-Arroyo, Stephanie L. Dickinson, Virginia B. Kraus, Jessica Siegal-Willott, Timothy M. Griffin, Janet L. Huebner, Katie L. Edwards, David B. Allison, and Steven N. Austad "RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN REPRODUCTIVE AND BONE BIOMARKERS AND OSTEOARTHRITIS IN ZOO ASIAN (ELEPHAS MAXIMUS) AND AFRICAN (LOXODONTA AFRICANA) ELEPHANTS," Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine 53(4), 801-810, (5 January 2023). https://doi.org/10.1638/2021-0080
Accepted: 9 August 2022; Published: 5 January 2023
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