title: C-reactive protein concentration in dogs with various diseases.
abstract: To investigate the clinical utility of C-reactive protein (CRP) determination in dogs, its plasma concentration was measured by a laser nephelometric method in 928 dogs with various diseases, and was compared with other inflammatory parameters. CRP concentration was elevated in various inflammatory diseases, this was most frequently observed in cases with neoplastic and immune-mediated diseases. All cases of pyometra, panniculitis, acute pancreatitis, polyarthritis, and hemangiosarcoma showed significantly elevated CRP concentrations. On the other hand, the CRP concentration was elevated only in few cases of neurological diseases such as epilepsy, meningoencephalitis, and hydrocephalus and endocrine diseases such as hypothyroidism, hyperadrenocorticism, and diabetes mellitus. Only a weak correlation was observed between the CRP concentration and white blood cell (WBC) counts (r=0.44) but no correlation with band neutrophil counts. There was no correlation between the CRP and albumin concentrations, but a weak negative correlation (r=-0.40) when excluding chronic intestinal diseases and nephrotic syndrome, which can cause protein loss. Thus, CRP can be useful to detect inflammations that cannot be detected by WBC and, or band neutrophil counts, suggesting that the examination of CRP concentration is essential as routine diagnostic test.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Yayoi, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Masaaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Masashi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ohno
authors.forename: Akiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Koshino
authors.forename: Ko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakashima
authors.forename: Asuka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Setoguchi
authors.forename: Yasuhito
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fujino
authors.forename: Hajime
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tsujimoto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001831:Body Temperature / Q000502:physiology; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D007958:Leukocyte Count / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D002097:C-Reactive Protein