Asthma types
Based on the BAL differential cell counts, horses were diagnosed as
either with normal BAL cytology, MEA or SEA (Couetil et al., 2016).
Horses with normal BAL cytology were defined by a BAL neutrophil count
below 10%, a mast cell or eosinophil cell count below 5%; MEA horses
by a neutrophil cell count between 10-25%, and/or a mast cell and/or
eosinophil cell count above 5% and SEA horses by a neutrophil cell
count above 25%. Mastocytic MEA was defined as horses with BAL mast
cells count above 5% mast cells, and with BAL neutrophils below 10%
and eosinophils below 5%; neutrophilic MEA referred to horses with a
BAL neutrophil count between 10-25 % with both BAL mast cells and
eosinophils being below 5%.