title: The importance of histologic parameters of lacteal involvement in cases of canine lymphoplasmacytic enteritis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The most frequent form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in dogs is represented histologically, by lymphoplasmacytic enteritis (LPE), a histological category, often associated with other morphologic alterations including lymphangiectasia (LE). However, literature data on this latter topic are quite scarce and have mostly been obtained in single reports or in small series.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We evaluated some morphologic parameters of intestinal villi and lacteals in a large cohort of dogs, and correlated them with serum albumin and cholesterol values.
  
  
  METHODS
  We investigated 136 dogs (94 with LPE, and 42 with gastrointestinal problems different from IBD) and analyzed their clinical, laboratory (albumin and cholesterol values), endoscopic, and histologic variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The LPE group showed significantly impaired clinical, laboratory, endoscopic, and histologic variables compared to controls. Affected dogs showed significant correlations between canine inflammatory bowel disease activity index (CIBDAI) scores and endoscopic and histologic variables. Moreover, the grade of hematologic changes were strongly related to the intestinal histologic variables, in particular those concerning villous and lacteals morphology.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dogs with LPE had intestinal histologic abnormalities (height, width, height/width ratio, calculated for both villi and lacteals), whose degree correlated with the severity of hypoalbuminemia and hypocholesterolemia. Evaluation of endoscopic and histologic variables in association to the clinical findings may reveal useful insights for the pathogenesis of LPE and, hopefully, might lead to more targeted therapeutic approaches.
authors.affiliation: School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, 62024 Matelica (Macerata), Italy.
authors.forename: Giacomo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.affiliation: School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, 62024 Matelica (Macerata), Italy.
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cerquetella
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology Unit, Perugia General Hospital, 06156 Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Antonelli
authors.affiliation: Veterinary practitioner, S. Antonio Clinic, 26020 Madignano (Cremona), Italy.
authors.forename: Graziano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pengo
authors.affiliation: School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, 62024 Matelica (Macerata), Italy.
authors.forename: Gian Enrico
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Magi
authors.affiliation: Second Pathology Section, Spedali Civili, 25100 Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Villanacci
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rostami-Nejad
authors.affiliation: School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, 62024 Matelica (Macerata), Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Spaterna
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology Section, Department of Medicine, University of Perugia Medical School, 06156 Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: Gabrio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bassotti
keywords: Dogs; Histology; Intestine; Lymphangiectasia; Lymphoplasmacytic enteritis