Meta-analysis of risk factors for racehorse catastrophic musculoskeletal injury in flat racing

Abstract

Studies of racehorse injury or fatality in various countries have identified common, and in some cases conflicting, risk factors. We conducted a systematic search of the relevant literature published from 1990 to 2017. Peer-reviewed articles were included if they reported the incidence of fatal or catastrophic musculoskeletal injury (CMI) in Thoroughbred flat races (n = 21) or risk factors for CMI (n = 65). Pooled effect sizes were estimated using the random-effects DerSimonian–Laird model. The pooled incidence of CMI was 1.17 (95% confidence interval 0.90, 1.44) per 1000 race starts. Almost 300 factors have been investigated in epidemiological studies for potential associations with CMI. Fa..