title: Fibrinolytic activity in cerebrospinal fluid of dogs with different neurological disorders.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Fibrinolytic activity in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is activated in humans by different pathologic processes.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate fibrinolytic activity in the CSF of dogs with neurological disorders by measuring CSF D-dimer concentrations.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and sixty-nine dogs with neurological disorders, 7 dogs with systemic inflammatory diseases without central nervous system involvement (SID), and 7 healthy Beagles were included in the study. Dogs with neurological disorders included 11 with steroid-responsive meningitis-arteritis (SRMA), 37 with other inflammatory neurological diseases (INF), 38 with neoplasia affecting the central nervous system (NEO), 28 with spinal compressive disorders (SCC), 15 with idiopathic epilepsy (IE), and 40 with noninflammatory neurological disorders (NON-INF).
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective observational study. D-dimers and C-reactive protein (CRP) were simultaneously measured in paired CSF and blood samples.
  
  
  RESULTS
  D-dimers and CRP were detected in 79/183 (43%) and in 182/183 (99.5%) CSF samples, respectively. All dogs with IE, SID, and controls had undetectable concentrations of D-dimers in the CSF. CSF D-dimer concentrations were significantly (P < .001) higher in dogs with SRMA than in dogs with other diseases and controls. CSF CRP concentration in dogs with SRMA was significantly (P < .001) higher than in dogs of other groups and controls, except for the SID group. No correlation was found between blood and CSF D-dimer concentrations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intrathecal fibrinolytic activity seems to be activated in some canine neurological disorders, and it is high in severe meningeal inflammatory diseases. CSF D-dimer concentrations may be considered a diagnostic marker for SRMA.
authors.affiliation: Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animal, Facultat de Veterinària, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: de la Fuente
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Monreal
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cerón
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pastor
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Viu
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Añor
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002493:Central Nervous System Diseases / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000662:veterinary*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000378:metabolism; D005342:Fibrinolysis / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products; C036309:fibrin fragment D