title: Hyperhomocysteinemia in Greyhounds and its Association with Hypofolatemia and Other Clinicopathologic Variables.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Folate and cobalamin are essential cofactors for homocysteine (HCY) metabolism. Hyperhomocysteinemia, a multifactorial condition, may reflect B vitamin deficiency and is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease, thrombosis, and neurodegenerative and chronic gastrointestinal diseases in humans. Hyperhomocysteinemia has been reported in Greyhounds with suspected chronic enteropathy.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the frequencies of and the association between hypofolatemia and hyperhomocysteinemia in Greyhounds.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data and serum samples from 559 Greyhounds.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nested case-control study. The frequency of hypofolatemia in Greyhounds was determined by a laboratory database search. The relationship between hyperhomocysteinemia (measured by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry) and hypocobalaminemia and hypofolatemia was evaluated, and its frequency compared between healthy Greyhounds and Greyhounds with thrombosis or chronic diarrhea.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Hypofolatemia was identified in 172 of 423 (41%) Greyhounds and was more common in hypo- than in normocobalaminemic dogs (49% vs. 35%; P = .0064). Hyperhomocysteinemia was detected in 53 of 78 (68%) of Greyhounds, being more common in hypo- than in normofolatemic dogs (88% vs. 59%; P = .0175). All healthy Greyhounds, 21 of 30 (70%) of dogs with chronic diarrhea and 6 of 8 (75%) of those with thrombosis, were hyperhomocysteinemic. Serum HCY concentrations were inversely correlated with serum folate concentration (ρ = -0.28; P = .0386) and were positively associated with serum albumin concentration (ρ = 0.66; P = .0022).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hyperhomocysteinemia occurs frequently in the Greyhound population. Its association with hypofolatemia suggests decreased intracellular availability of B vitamins, but the functional implications warrant further investigation. Hyperhomocysteinemia in Greyhounds potentially may serve as a spontaneous canine model to further investigate hyperhomocysteinemia in humans.
authors.affiliation: Gastrointestinal Laboratory, Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843-4474.|Small Animal Clinic, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, SN, 04103, Germany.
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Heilmann
authors.affiliation: Gastrointestinal Laboratory, Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843-4474.|Farm Animal Clinic, Clinic for Swine, Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Vetsuisse Faculty Bern, Bern, 3012, Switzerland.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Grützner
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Iazbik
authors.affiliation: Gastrointestinal Laboratory, Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843-4474.|Center for Bioinformatics and Genomic Systems Engineering, Texas A&M AgriLife Research, College Station, TX, 77845.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lopes
authors.affiliation: Gastrointestinal Laboratory, Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843-4474.
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Bridges
authors.affiliation: Gastrointestinal Laboratory, Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843-4474.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Suchodolski
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210.|Couto Veterinary Consultants, Hilliard, OH, 43026.
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Couto
authors.affiliation: Gastrointestinal Laboratory, Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843-4474.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Steiner
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000097:blood; D005494:Folic Acid Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D020138:Hyperhomocysteinemia / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D009820:Ohio / Q000453:epidemiology; D010375:Pedigree; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013781:Texas / Q000453:epidemiology; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D005492:Folic Acid; D014805:Vitamin B 12
keywords: Dog; Hypocobalaminemia; vitamin B12; vitamin B9