LABÉO Academy - du laboratoire au diagnostic : lire un bilan sanguin en pratique équine

Value of the Information & Strength of the Argument

The information provided is highly valuable for practicing veterinarians, offering evidence-based strategies to avoid common interpretive errors. The argumentation is solid, consistently backed by cited studies, and the presenter explains the rationale behind each recommendation. The emphasis on RCV and the importance of comparing a horse to its own baseline is particularly compelling, as it addresses limitations of population-based reference intervals. The discussion of inflammatory markers is well-structured, with sensitivity/specificity data from multiple studies, allowing clinicians to choose appropriate tests. The distinction between acute and chronic enzyme elevations and the practical pitfalls of sample handling are clearly argued, making the webinar both educational and directly applicable.

Scientific Rigor, Source Quality, Title Accuracy

The scientific rigor is high: the presenter cites and interprets numerous peer-reviewed studies (e.g., Newman 2020, Parle 2025, W. et al. 2019, Fernandez 2025, Borgéal 2007, Hebberg & Hall 2014, de Cause Aréal 2020, Daniel et al. 2016). Each claim is contextualized within the broader literature, and limitations of each study are acknowledged. The quality of sources is excellent, with a clear distinction between primary research and reviews. The title accurately reflects the content, which focuses on the entire process from sample collection to diagnostic interpretation. The webinar does not wander off-topic and maintains a practical, clinically relevant focus throughout. No aspects of the title are misleading or inadequately covered.

The title accurately reflects the content: a practical guide covering the interpretation of equine blood tests from sample handling to clinical integration, with a strong emphasis on the diagnostic process.

9/10

The webinar is grounded in multiple peer-reviewed studies and practical experience, emphasizing pre-analytical errors and evidence-based interpretation. The presenter systematically cites specific research findings and contrasts them with practical caveats, demonstrating high reliability.

Markers derived by PSI from the transcript: the creator did not define chapters.

• 01:00Introduction: importance of blood tests, when to perform them, and factors influencing interpretation.
• 04:00Pre-analytical errors: anticoagulant contamination (Newman 2020) and sample storage effects (Parle 2025).
• 08:00Reference change value (RCV) and individual variability: comparison to own baseline rather than only reference intervals.
• 13:00Red blood cell interpretation: splenic contraction, hydration, and false anemia/erythrocytosis.
• 17:00White blood cells and platelets: artifacts, stress leukogram, and importance of blood film review.
• 22:00Inflammatory markers: fibrinogen and SAA, their kinetics and diagnostic value in comparison to leukocytes and iron.
• 28:00Muscle and liver enzymes: CK, AST, PAL, GGT, with hepatopathy workup and environmental investigation.

• Newman et al., 2020 - Veterinary Clinics of North America: Equine Practice — Discusses errors from anticoagulant (EDTA) contamination in blood samples causing false hypocalcemia and hyperkalemia.
• Parle et al., 2025 - Veterinary Journal — Study on blood storage over 5 days at different temperatures, showing morphological changes in leukocytes and impact on CBC results.
• W. et al., 2019 - Veterinary Journal — Longitudinal study calculating reference change values (RCV) for various parameters in healthy horses.
• Fernandez et al., 2025 - Veterinary Journal — Review arguing that reference limits should not be treated as absolute boundaries, emphasizing calculation of changes between tests.
• Borgéal et al., 2007 - Study on iron and fibrinogen in inflammation — Compared iron and fibrinogen for detecting systemic inflammation, with sensitivities of 90% and 82% respectively.
• Hebberg & Hall, 2014 - Study on inflammatory markers — Compared SAA, fibrinogen, and iron sensitivity and specificity; SAA had 82% sensitivity, fibrinogen 37%, iron 40%.
• de Cause Aréal et al., 2020 - Study on post-colic surgery monitoring — Followed 300 horses after colic surgery; SAA differentiated complications from day 1, fibrinogen from day 3.
• Daniel et al., 2016 - Perioperative study — Found SAA more sensitive than fibrinogen for detecting inflammation after emergency abdominal surgery; repeated doses valuable.
• 2003 review on inflammatory marker kinetics — Summarizes complementary kinetics of leukocytes, iron, SAA, and fibrinogen in equine inflammation.