title: Diagnostic accuracy of the SNAP and Spec canine pancreatic lipase tests for pancreatitis in dogs presenting with clinical signs of acute abdominal disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To (i) assess the clinical diagnostic accuracy of SNAP canine pancreatic lipase (cPL) and specific canine pancreatic lipase (Spec cPL) and (ii) assess the agreement of an abnormal test result between SNAP cPL and Spec cPL in dogs presenting with acute abdominal disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective observational cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  University teaching hospital emergency center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-eight client-owned dogs that presented with acute abdominal disease, with a known final diagnosis between March 2009 and April 2010. Dogs were retrospectively assigned into 2 groups, dogs with acute pancreatitis (AP) (Group 1) and dogs without AP (Group 2).
  
  
  METHODS
  Paired serum samples obtained within 24 hours of presentation were analyzed using the SNAP cPL test and Spec cPL assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  SNAP cPL clinical sensitivity and specificity was 82% (9/11 dogs of group 1) and 59% (16/27 dogs of group 2), respectively. Spec cPL clinical sensitivity and specificity was 70% (7/10 dogs of group 1) and 77% (20/26 dogs of group 2), respectively. Accuracy of the SNAP and Spec cPL for a clinical diagnosis of pancreatitis was found to be 66% and 75%, respectively. Agreement between a positive SNAP (cPL ≥ 200 μg/L) and a clinical diagnosis pancreatitis resulted in κ = 0.33. Agreement between an increased Spec (cPL ≥ 400 μg/L) and a clinical diagnosis of pancreatitis resulted in a κ = 0.43. The agreement between SNAP and Spec cPL (cPL ≥ 200 μg/L) for the entire cohort resulted in κ = 0.78.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SNAP cPL and Spec cPL results may provide a "false positive" diagnosis of pancreatitis in up to 40% of dogs presenting with acute abdominal disease. There is good overall agreement between SNAP cPL and Spec cPL; however, there were 4/38 dogs with positive SNAP cPL and "normal" Spec cPL.
authors.affiliation: School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Mark D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Haworth
authors.forename: Giselle
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hosgood
authors.forename: Katrin L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Swindells
authors.forename: Caroline S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Mansfield
mesh_terms: D000006:Abdomen, Acute / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*; D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D008049:Lipase / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems; D012698:Serologic Tests / Q000662:veterinary
chemical_list: D008049:Lipase
keywords: acute abdomen; dogs; pancreatic disease; point-of-care diagnostics