Serum acute phase proteins in Dirofilaria immitis and Wolbachia seropositive cats

Objectives The aim of this study was to characterise the response of acute phase proteins (APPs) in cats seropositive for Dirofilaria immitis and to its endosymbiont bacterium Wolbachia.Methods The APPs serum amyloid A (SAA), haptoglobin (Hp) and ceruloplasmin (Cp) were measured in 25 seropositive cats and in 16 healthy seronegative cats.Results SAA and Cp concentrations were significantly higher in animals with D immitis seropositivity that exhibited clinical signs related to the disease, and Hp was elevated in all D immitis-seropositive animals. There was no significant correlation between APPs and D immitis or Wolbachia species antibody titres.Conclusions and relevance An association between feline seropositivity to D immitis and APP response was demonstrated. Increases in serum SAA and Cp concentrations were related to D immitis-associated clinical signs, whereas Hp increased in all seropositive animals

Angiogenic response in an in vitro model of dog microvascular endothelial cells stimulated with antigenic extracts from Dirofilaria immitis adult worms

Background Angiogenesis can occur under pathological conditions when stimuli such as inflammation, vascular obstruction or hypoxia exist. These stimuli are present in cardiopulmonary dirofilariosis (Dirofilaria immitis). The aim of this study was to analyze the capacity of D. immitis antigens to modify the expression of angiogenic factors and trigger the formation of pseudocapillaries (tube-like structures) in an in vitro model of endothelial cells. Methods The expression of VEGF-A, sFlt, mEndoglin and sEndoglin in cultures of canine microvascular endothelial cells stimulated with extract of adult worms of D. immitis obtained from an untreated dog (DiSA) and from a dog treated for 15 days with doxycycline (tDiSA), was determined by using commercial kits. The capacity of pseudocapillary formation was evaluated analyzing cell connections and cell groups in Matrigel cell cultures stimulated with DiSA and tDiSA. In both cases non-stimulated cultures were used as controls. Results First, we demonstrated that worms obtained from the dog treated with doxycycline showed a significantly lower amount of Wolbachia (less than 60%) than worms removed from the untreated dog. Only DiSA was able to significantly increase the expression of the proangiogenic factor VEGF-A in the endotelial cells cultures. None of the D. immitis extracts modified the expression of sFlt. tDiSA extract was able to modify the expression of the endoglins, significantly decreasing the expression of the pro-angiogenic mEndoglin and increasing the anti-angiogenic sEndoglin. The formation of pseudocapillaries was negatively influenced by tDiSA, which reduced the organization and number of cellular connections. Conclusions The ability of antigens from adult D. immitis worms to modify the expression of pro and anti-angiogenic factors in endotelial cell cultures was demonstrated, as well as the trend to form pseudocapillaries in vitro. The capacity of stimulation may be linked to the amount of Wolbachia present in the antigenic extracts

Seguridad en la utilización de gliflozinas en pacientes mayores

Introducción: El papel de los inhibidores del cotransportador de sodio-glucosa (iSGLT-2) o gliflozinas en pacientes mayores está aún por definir, por su minoritaria representación en ensayos clínicos y mayor riesgo de hipovolemia y reducción de la función renal. Objetivo: Conocer la prevalencia de control estricto de la glucemia y tensión arterial y la función renal de los pacientes mayores de 75 años tratados con iSGLT-2 en los centros de salud de la Dirección Asistencial Noroeste del Servicio Madrileño de Salud. Métodos: Estudio retrospectivo observacional. Se identificaron pacientes ≥ 75 años con más de nueve envases dispensados de gliflozinas durante 2017. La variable principal fue el valor registrado de la última hemoglobina glicosilada (HbA1c). Otras variables: valor y numero de determinaciones de tasa de filtrado glomerular (TFG), media de los tres últimos registros de presión arterial (PA), fármacos concomitantes, presencia de enfermedad cardiovascular (ECV) y de infección del tracto urinario o micosis genital. Resultados: 189 pacientes; 52% hombres; mediana de edad 80 años (76-95). 46% utilizaba dapagliflozina. El 23% tenía HbA1c < 6,5%. TFG medio= 65,02 ml/min (IC95% 61,72-68,31); PAS media=128 mmHg (IC95% 125-131) y PAD=71,49 mmHg (IC95% 69,83-73,15). En 31 pacientes (20%) la PA media era inferior a 120/80 mmHg. El 93% utilizaban otros antidiabéticos orales o insulina, el 47% diuréticos, 9% AINE y 68% fármacos del sistema renina-angiotensina. El 33% tenían ECV establecida y 19% presentó infección genitourinaria. Conclusiones: Más de un 20% de los mayores de 75 años que utiliza iSGLT2 podría presentar problemas de seguridad relacionados con este tratamiento antidiabético.

Seguridad en la utilización de gliflozinas en pacientes mayores

Introducción: El papel de los inhibidores del cotransportador de sodio-glucosa (iSGLT-2) o gliflozinas en pacientes mayores está aún por definir, por su minoritaria representación en ensayos clínicos y mayor riesgo de hipovolemia y reducción de la función renal. Objetivo: Conocer la prevalencia de control estricto de la glucemia y tensión arterial y la función renal de los pacientes mayores de 75 años tratados con iSGLT-2 en los centros de salud de la Dirección Asistencial Noroeste del Servicio Madrileño de Salud. Métodos: Estudio retrospectivo observacional. Se identificaron pacientes ≥ 75 años con más de nueve envases dispensados de gliflozinas durante 2017. La variable principal fue el valor registrado de la última hemoglobina glicosilada (HbA1c). Otras variables: valor y numero de determinaciones de tasa de filtrado glomerular (TFG), media de los tres últimos registros de presión arterial (PA), fármacos concomitantes, presencia de enfermedad cardiovascular (ECV) y de infección del tracto urinario o micosis genital. Resultados: 189 pacientes; 52% hombres; mediana de edad 80 años (76-95). 46% utilizaba dapagliflozina. El 23% tenía HbA1c < 6,5%. TFG medio= 65,02 ml/min (IC95% 61,72-68,31); PAS media=128 mmHg (IC95% 125-131) y PAD=71,49 mmHg (IC95% 69,83-73,15). En 31 pacientes (20%) la PA media era inferior a 120/80 mmHg. El 93% utilizaban otros antidiabéticos orales o insulina, el 47% diuréticos, 9% AINE y 68% fármacos del sistema renina-angiotensina. El 33% tenían ECV establecida y 19% presentó infección genitourinaria. Conclusiones: Más de un 20% de los mayores de 75 años que utiliza iSGLT2 podría presentar problemas de seguridad relacionados con este tratamiento antidiabético.

Fifth European Dirofilaria and Angiostrongylus Days (FiEDAD) 2016

Peer reviewe

Comprehensive Map of Canine Angiostrongylosis in Dogs in Spain

Canine angiostrongylosis is an emerging disease caused by Angiostrongylus vasorum, mainly affecting wild carnivores and dogs. In Spain, there are studies reporting infections in foxes, wolves, and badgers in different regions of the country. However, there are hardly any publications on its prevalence in dogs. The aim of this study was to complete and update the epidemiologic map of A. vasorum in dogs in Spain. A total of 5619 canine blood samples from all autonomous cities and provinces of Spain were collected and tested for the presence of circulating A. vasorum antigens. The overall apparent prevalence of canine A. vasorum infection in Spain was 1.39%. No significant differences were found for sex or age, but significant differences between outdoor and indoor/outdoor dogs were found. A high prevalence was also observed in the northern third of the country, where an oceanic climate prevails, being humid and rainy and where abundant vegetation can be found, thus favoring the proliferation of intermediate hosts. The results suggest that A. vasorum canine infections are heterogeneously present in a large part of the territory, demonstrating its expansion throughout the country, and therefore, awareness and prevention campaigns for this disease should be promoted

Cardiopulmonary and inflammatory biomarkers in heartworm disease

Abstract In heartworm disease, several biomarkers of cardiopulmonary injury and inflammatory activity have been studied during the recent years. D-dimer is a fibrin degradation product present after a clot is degraded, which has been reported to provide support for the diagnosis of pulmonary thromboembolism in heartworm disease. Furthermore, concentrations increment with increased disease severity and during the adulticide treatment. This increase in concentration has proved to be valuable. Cardiac biomarkers troponin I, myoglobin and NT-proBNP demonstrated presence of myocardial injury and heart failure, especially in chronic infections, which in some cases, slightly improve after the adulticide treatment. An acute phase response in dogs with Dirofilaria immitis, characterized by variations of acute phase proteins (APP), has been reported, indicating inflammatory processes that could contribute to disease progression. Among them, C-reactive protein (CRP) increases according to the severity of the disease; and a strong correlation between pulmonary hypertension and CRP has been observed. In cats, little work has been done to ascertain the utility of these biomarkers in feline heartworm; the only published study in D. immitis–seropositive cats reported significantly higher concentrations in positive APP serum amyloid A, haptoglobin and ceruloplasmin