title: Screening diagnostics to identify triggers in 21 cases of steroid-responsive meningitis-arteritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate whether screening tests used to identify infectious and neoplastic triggers for immune-mediated haemolytic anaemia, in particular a complete blood count and differential, serum biochemistry profile, urine analysis (including culture), abdominal ultrasound and thoracic radiographs, can identify triggers for steroid-responsive meningitis-arteritis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective descriptive review.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-one steroid-responsive meningitis-arteritis cases were identified in which all screening tests had been performed. All cases had changes in complete blood count (including neutrophilia, monocytosis, lymphocytosis, eosinopenia or anaemia); 19 had changes in biochemistry (including hypoalbuminaemia, hyperglobulinaemia, increased alkaline phosphatase activity, hyperphosphataemia, increased total calcium concentration, hypercholesterolaemia, hyperkalaemia, increased urea concentration and increased alanine aminotransferase activity); two cases had an elevated urine protein to creatinine ratio but none had positive urine culture results; no cases had abnormalities on orthogonal radiographs of the thorax; four cases had abnormalities identified on abdominal ultrasound, which following cytological examination suggested inflammation in the absence of pathological organisms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Screening tests used to identify infectious and neoplastic triggers in immune-mediated haemolytic anaemia did not isolate triggers for steroid-responsive meningitis-arteritis in the population of dogs under investigation.
authors.affiliation: Langford Small Animal Hospital, University of Bristol, Langford, Bristol, Somerset, BS405DU.
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Rose
authors.forename: T R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Harcourt-Brown
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000743:Anemia, Hemolytic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001167:Arteritis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D007239:Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D008581:Meningitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000662:veterinary; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents