title: White spots on the mucosal surface of the duodenum in dogs with lymphocytic plasmacytic enteritis.
abstract: Distended lacteals, described as expanded white villi in duodenum, are strongly indicative of primary intestinal lymphangiectasia. In the present study, we evaluated the significance of white spots present in the duodenal mucosa of dogs with lymphocytic plasmacytic enteritis (LPE). Fifty dogs with LPE were included in this study, and white spots were detected in the duodenal mucosa in 22 dogs during endoscopy. Hypoproteinemia was more frequent in dogs with white spots than in dogs without spots (p = 0.02). Serum protein and albumin concentration were significantly lower in LPE dogs with white spots (p = 0.038) compared to LPE dogs without white spots (p = 0.039). There was a significant correlation between white spots density and lymphatic dilatation histological scores (p = 0.023; ρ = 0.481). These results suggest that the presence of white spots in the duodenal mucosa of dogs is not a finding exclusive for intestinal lymphangiectasia. Low serum protein and albumin concentrations together with lymphatic dilatation seem to be related to the presence of white spots in the duodenal mucosa of LPE dogs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, Complutense University of Madrid, Avenida Puerta de Hierro s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain. mercgarc@vet.ucm.es
authors.forename: Mercedes
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: García-Sancho
authors.forename: Angel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sainz
authors.forename: Alejandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Villaescusa
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rodríguez
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Franco
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001706:Biopsy / Q000662:veterinary; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology*; D004285:Dogs; D004386:Duodenum / Q000473:pathology*; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D006651:Histocytochemistry / Q000662:veterinary; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000473:pathology*; D008201:Lymphangiectasis, Intestinal / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D001798:Blood Proteins