title: Effects of age, sex, reproductive status, and hospitalization on serum alpha 1-antitrypsin concentration in dogs.
abstract: We performed a study to determine a reference range for serum alpha 1-antitrypsin (alpha 1AT) in dogs by specific immunoassay; to evaluate whether serum alpha 1AT concentration varied with age, sex, or reproductive status in healthy dogs; and to investigate whether the serum alpha 1AT concentration in hospitalized dogs differed from that of healthy, nonhospitalized dogs. Serum alpha 1AT was quantitated by radial gel immuno-diffusion for 60 healthy dogs and 311 hospitalized dogs. In healthy dogs, serum alpha 1AT concentration was 2.33 +/- 0.41 mg/ml (mean +/- SD), yielding a reference range (mean +/- 2 SD) of 1.51 to 3.15 mg/ml. A correlation was not found between serum alpha 1AT concentration and age in healthy dogs. The serum alpha 1AT concentration (mean +/- SEM mg/ml) was significantly higher in healthy, sexually intact females (2.64 +/- 0.1) than in healthy, spayed females (2.22 +/- 0.12; P < 0.004); healthy, sexually intact males (2.14 +/- 0.1; P < 0.0006); and healthy, and castrated males (2.25 +/- 0.14; P < 0.02). Hospitalized, sexually intact females had a lower serum alpha 1AT concentration (1.93 +/- 0.07) than healthy, sexually intact females (2.64 +/- 0.1; P < 0.0002). Likewise, the serum alpha 1AT concentration in hospitalized, sexually intact males (1.92 +/- 0.04) was less than in healthy, sexually intact males (2.14 +/- 0.1; P < 0.04). A difference in alpha 1AT concentration was not found between healthy and hospitalized, neutered dogs.
authors.affiliation: Center for Veterinary Critical Care, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 19104-6010, USA.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Elliott
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Washabau
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kueppers
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000097:blood*; D004285:Dogs / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005779:Immunodiffusion / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D009919:Orchiectomy / Q000662:veterinary; D010052:Ovariectomy / Q000662:veterinary; D012016:Reference Values; D012737:Sex Factors; D000515:alpha 1-Antitrypsin / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000515:alpha 1-Antitrypsin