Lack of evidence of a beneficial effect of azathioprine in dogs treated with prednisolone for idiopathic immune-mediated hemolytic anemia: a retrospective cohort study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Azathioprine is used as an immunosuppressant in canine immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA), but this potentially toxic and carcinogenic drug has not been proven to be beneficial. The aim of this study was to determine the difference in outcome and survival of dogs with idiopathic IMHA treated with a protocol that included azathioprine and prednisolone versus a protocol that included prednisolone alone.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The study included 222 dogs with a hematocrit lower than 0.30 L/L and either a positive Coombs' test or spherocytosis and no evidence of diseases that could trigger IMHA. The clinical and laboratory data at the time of diagnosis and the response to therapy and survival were compared in dogs treated according to the prednisolone and azathioprine protocol (AP protocol; n = 149) and dogs treated according to the prednisolone protocol (P protocol; n = 73). At study entry, the two groups were comparable, except that thrombocyte counts were significantly lower and clinical signs had been present significantly longer in the AP protocol group. No significant difference in survival was found between the two groups: the 1-year survival was 64% (95% CI 54 - 77%) in the P protocol group and 69% (95% CI 59-80%) in the AP protocol group, respectively.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Azathioprine would appear not to be beneficial as standard treatment for all cases of IMHA; however, a blinded, randomized clinical trial is needed to establish whether outcome is different with the two treatment protocols.</p

Does canine inflammatory bowel disease influence gut microbial profile and host metabolism?

Background: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) refers to a diverse group of chronic gastrointestinal diseases, and gut microbial dysbiosis has been proposed as a modulating factor in its pathogenesis. Several studies have investigated the gut microbial ecology of dogs with IBD but it is yet unclear if this microbial profile can alter the nutrient metabolism of the host. The aim of the present study was to characterize the faecal bacterial profile and functionality as well as to determine host metabolic changes in IBD dogs. Twenty-three dogs diagnosed with IBD and ten healthy control dogs were included. Dogs with IBD were given a clinical score using the canine chronic enteropathy clinical activity index (CCECAI). Faecal short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) and ammonia concentrations were measured and quantitative PCR was performed. The concentration of plasma amino acids, acylcarnitines, serum folate, cobalamin, and indoxyl sulfate was determined. Results: No significant differences in the abundance of a selection of bacterial groups and fermentation metabolites were observed between the IBD and control groups. However, significant negative correlations were found between CCECAI and the faecal proportion of Lactobacillus as well as between CCECAI and total SCFA concentration. Serum folate and plasma citrulline were decreased and plasma valine was increased in IBD compared to control dogs. Increased plasma free carnitine and total acylcarnitines were observed in IBD compared with control dogs, whereas short-chain acylcarnitines (butyrylcarnitine + isobutyrylcarnitine and, methylmalonylcarnitine) to free carnitine ratios decreased. Dogs with IBD had a higher 3-hydroxyisovalerylcarnitine + isovalerylcarnitine to leucine ratio compared to control dogs. Conclusions: Canine IBD induced a wide range of changes in metabolic profile, especially for the plasma concentrations of short-chain acylcarnitines and amino acids, which could have evolved from tissue damage and alteration in host metabolism. In addition, dogs with more severe IBD were characterised by a decrease in faecal proportion of Lactobacillus

Plasma and urinary metanephrine and normetanephrine concentrations using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry in healthy cats and in a cat with pheochromocytoma

BACKGROUND: Pheochromocytoma (PCC) is rare in cats and plasma (PL) and urinary (U) metanephrines (metanephrine [MN]; normetanephrine [NMN]) measurement is rarely described in cats. OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the utility of PL and U MNs measurement in 10 healthy cats and a cat with a confirmed diagnosis of pheochromocytoma (PheoCat), using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS). METHODS: Urine and EDTA PL samples collected from each of the 10 cats and the PheoCat were promptly stored at -80°C and remained frozen until analysis. To evaluate U MNs stability, an additional urine sample collected from the healthy cats was refrigerated for 24 hours before freezing. Urinary creatinine concentration (Creat) was assessed using the same spot urine samples to calculate U MNs-to-creatinine ratios. RESULTS: The PL-MN and PL-NMN median concentrations of the healthy cats were 2.73 and 7.02 nmol/L, respectively. The median U-MN/Creat and U-NMN/Creat ratios were 70 and 139 μg/g, respectively. The PheoCat had a PL-MN of 3.68 nmol/L, PL-NMN of 66.27 nmol/L, U-MN/Creat of 179 μg/g, and U-NMN/Creat of 1262 μg/g. The PheoCat had markedly increased concentrations of both PL and U MNs when compared to the healthy cats. No significant difference was found between U MNs measured in urine samples that underwent 24 hours of refrigeration in comparison to those that were frozen immediately. CONCLUSIONS: We report preliminary reference intervals for PL and U MNs in cats using LC-MS-MS and the potential clinical applicability of these biomarkers for the diagnosis of PCC in cats

Serum symmetric dimethylarginine in older dogs: Reference interval and comparison of a gold standard method with the ELISA

Abstract Background Serum symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) is used to screen for renal dysfunction in dogs. The gold standard technique for measuring SDMA, liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry (LC‐MS/MS) is not widely available. Age‐specific reference intervals for SDMA in older dogs are lacking. Objectives Prospective study in older dogs to validate a commercially available LC‐MS/MS method for SDMA, compare SDMA concentrations with concentrations measured using ELISA and obtain a reference interval (RI) for older dogs using both methods. Animals Client‐owned older dogs undergoing health screening. Methods The LC‐MS/MS method was analytically validated (limit of detection, precision, and linearity). Serum was sent cooled overnight for ELISA or was frozen at −80°C until batch analysis using LC‐MS/MS. Results of LC‐MS/MS and ELISA were compared and RIs for older dogs were calculated according to international guidelines. Results The LC‐MS/MS method showed good linearity (r2 = .99) and precision (coefficient of variation <10%), with a laboratory RI between 8.0 and 14.0 μg/dL. Paired measurements were available from 118 different dogs. Median SDMA concentration were 9.4 (range, 5.0‐21.2) using LC‐MS/MS and 12.0 (range, 5.0‐22.0) μg/dL using ELISA. Both methods significantly differed with a mean difference of 2.2 μg/dL. The RI for older dogs for LC‐MS/MS was 4.4‐15.0 μg/dL, and for ELISA was 6.4‐17.4 μg/dL. Conclusions and Clinical Importance The ELISA provided significantly higher SDMA concentrations compared to the validated LC‐MS/MS method, indicating the need for device‐ or assay‐specific RI. The obtained age‐specific RI for SDMA is considerably higher in older dogs compared to the general laboratory RI

Additional file 1: of Does canine inflammatory bowel disease influence gut microbial profile and host metabolism?

Canine chronic entreropathy clinical activity index in IBD dogs. Description of data: the total CCECAI score and the individual score of each criterion. (XLSX 9 kb