title: Serum D-lactate concentrations in cats with gastrointestinal disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Increased D-lactate concentrations cause neurological signs in humans with gastrointestinal disease.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine if serum D-lactate concentrations are increased in cats with gastrointestinal disease compared to healthy controls, and if concentrations correlate with specific neurological or gastrointestinal abnormalities.
  
  
  METHODS
  Systematically selected serum samples submitted to the Gastrointestinal Laboratory at Texas A&M University from 100 cats with clinical signs of gastrointestinal disease and abnormal gastrointestinal function tests, and 30 healthy cats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case-control study in which serum D- and L-lactate concentrations and retrospective data on clinical signs were compared between 30 healthy cats and 100 cats with gastrointestinal disease. Association of D-lactate concentration with tests of GI dysfunction and neurological signs was evaluated by multivariate linear and logistic regression analyses, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All 100 cats had a history of abnormal gastrointestinal signs and abnormal gastrointestinal function test results. Thirty-one cats had definitive or subjective neurological abnormalities. D-lactate concentrations of cats with gastrointestinal disease (median 0.36, range 0.04-8.33 mmol/L) were significantly higher than those in healthy controls (median 0.22, range 0.04-0.87 mmol/L; P = .022). L-lactate concentrations were not significantly different between the 2 groups of cats with gastrointestinal disease and healthy controls. D-lactate concentrations were not significantly associated with fPLI, fTLI, cobalamin, folate, or neurological abnormalities (P > .05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  D-lactate concentrations can be increased in cats with gastrointestinal disease. These findings warrant additional investigations into the role of intestinal microbiota derangements in cats with gastrointestinal disease, and the association of D-lactate and neurological abnormalities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2026, USA. rpacker@purdue.edu
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Packer
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: C-Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Zello
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abeysekara
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Naylor
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Steiner
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Suchodolski
authors.forename: D P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: O'Brien
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001928:Brain Diseases, Metabolic / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000201:enzymology; D002415:Cats; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000662:veterinary*; D007773:Lactates / Q000097:blood*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D007773:Lactates