title: Use of the Vettest 8008 and refractometry for determination of total protein, albumin, and globulin concentrations in feline effusions.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pleural and peritoneal effusion is a common clinical finding in feline practice. Determination of fluid albumin (ALB) and globulin (GLOB) concentrations in addition to total protein (TP) concentration can be helpful in diagnosing or ruling out certain diseases in cats, especially feline infectious peritonitis (FIP).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to compare effusion TP, ALB, and GLOB results obtained by a refractometer and a bench-top dry chemistry analyzer with those results obtained by a reference method.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-six pleural and 14 peritoneal effusion samples were analyzed from 40 cats with various diseases. TP and ALB concentrations were determined by a reference automated wet chemistry analyzer (Kone Specific, Kone Instruments, Espoo, Finland), a bench-top dry chemistry analyzer (Vettest 8008, IDEXX Laboratories Ltd, Chalfont St Peter, UK), and a refractometer (Atago SPR-T2, Atago Co, Tokyo, Japan). GLOB, albumin to globulin (A/G) ratio, and globulins as a percentage of total proteins (GLOB%) were calculated. Results were analyzed by paired t tests, difference plots, and Deming s regression analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Correlation coefficients (r) for TP with Vettest versus Kone and refractometer versus Kone methods were.97 and.94, respectively. GLOB and GLOB% values were significantly higher and A/G ratios were significantly lower with Vettest versus Kone methods. Correlation coefficients for ALB, GLOB, GLOB% and A/G ratio with Vettest versus Kone methods were.86,.93,.82, and.73, respectively. Although correlation with other methods was good, the refractometer underestimated TP concentrations in 3 samples.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The refractometer is an acceptable method for determination of TP concentration in feline effusions. The Vettest 8008 also is an acceptable method for the determination of TP and ALB concentrations, however, calculated A/G ratios obtained with the Vettest are unacceptable.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Pathology Diagnostic Laboratories, Department of Clinical Veterinary Science, University of Bristol, Langford, England. kos.papasouliotis@bris.ac.uk
authors.forename: Kostas
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Papasouliotis
authors.forename: Kate
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dodkin
authors.forename: Andy G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Torrance
mesh_terms: D000418:Albumins / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D001202:Ascitic Fluid / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000662:veterinary*; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002415:Cats; D003124:Colorimetry / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D005916:Globulins / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000662:veterinary*; D011506:Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D012031:Refractometry / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D000418:Albumins; D005916:Globulins; D011506:Proteins