Evaluation of perinuclear anti-neutrophilic cytoplasmic autoantibodies as an early marker of protein-losing enteropathy and protein-losing nephropathy in Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate perinuclear anti-neutrophilic cytoplasmic autoantibody (pANCA) status in Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers (SCWTs) and SCWT-Beagle crossbred dogs and to correlate pANCA status of dogs with clinicopathologic variables of protein-losing enteropathy (PLE), protein-losing nephropathy (PLN), or both.


METHODS
13 SCWTs and 8 SCWT-Beagle crossbred dogs in a research colony and a control group comprising 7 dogs with X-linked hereditary nephropathy and 12 healthy SCWTs > 9 years old.


METHODS
Samples were obtained from dogs in the research colony every 6 months. At each sample-collection time point, serum concentrations of albumin, globulin, creatinine, and urea nitrogen; fecal concentration of alpha-proteinase inhibitor; and urinary protein-to-creatinine ratios were determined and correlated with pANCA status.


RESULTS
20 of 21 dogs in the research colony had positive results for pANCAs at a minimum of 2 time points, and 18 of 21 dogs had definitive evidence of disease. None of the control dogs had positive results for pANCAs. A positive result for pANCAs was significantly associated with hypoalbuminemia, and pANCAs preceded the onset of hypoalbuminemia on an average of 2.4 years. Sensitivity and specificity for use of pANCAs to predict development of PLE or PLN were 0.95 (95% confidence interval, 0.72 to 1.00) and 0.8 (95% confidence interval, 0.51 to 0.95), respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Most dogs in this study affected with PLE, PLN, or both had positive results for pANCAs before clinicopathologic evidence of disease was detected. Thus, pANCAs may be useful as an early noninvasive test of disease in SCWTs.
Allenspach
Karin
K
Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hatfield AL9 7PT, England.
Lomas
Bethany
B
Wieland
Barbara
B
Harris
Tonya
T
Pressler
Barrak
B
Mancho
Carolina
C
Lees
George E
GE
Vaden
Shelly L
SL
D000818:Animals; D019268:Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic / Q000097:blood*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D004285:Dogs; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary*; D011504:Protein-Losing Enteropathies / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary*; D013045:Species Specificity
D019268:Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic; D001323:Autoantibodies