title: The Utility of Acute-Phase Proteins in the Assessment of Treatment Response in Dogs With Bacterial Pneumonia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Acute-phase proteins (APPs) are sensitive markers of inflammation, and serum C-reactive protein (CRP) recently has been shown to be a useful diagnostic marker in dogs with bacterial pneumonia (BP). In humans with community-acquired pneumonia, APPs also have great utility as follow-up markers aiding in the assessment of treatment response.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of our study was to investigate the applicability of APPs as markers of treatment response in dogs with BP.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nineteen dogs diagnosed with BP and 64 healthy dogs.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted as a prospective longitudinal observational study. Serum CRP, serum amyloid A (SAA), and haptoglobin concentrations were followed during a natural course of BP. Normalization of serum CRP was used to guide the duration of antibiotic treatment (treatment was stopped 5-7 days after CRP normalized) in 8 of 17 dogs surviving to discharge; 9 of 17 dogs were treated according to conventional recommendations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All measured APPs initially were significantly increased, but the magnitude of increase was not correlated to disease severity. C-reactive protein and SAA concentrations decreased rapidly after initiation of antimicrobial treatment. When normalization of serum CRP was used to guide the duration of antibiotic treatment, treatment duration was significantly (P = .015) decreased without increasing the number of relapses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum CRP and SAA reflected the recovery process well and therefore may be used as markers of treatment response. According to the results, the normalization of serum CRP may be used to guide the duration of antibiotic treatment in dogs with BP.
authors.affiliation: Department of Equine and Small Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Viitanen
authors.affiliation: Department of Equine and Small Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Lappalainen
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Clinical and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Christensen
authors.affiliation: Department of Equine and Small Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sankari
authors.affiliation: Department of Equine and Small Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Rajamäki
mesh_terms: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D006242:Haptoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D018410:Pneumonia, Bacterial / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D000685:Serum Amyloid A Protein / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D006242:Haptoglobins; D000685:Serum Amyloid A Protein
keywords: C-reactive protein; Canine; Haptoglobin; Serum amyloid A