title: Histopathologic Characteristics of Intestinal Biopsy Samples from Dogs With Chronic Inflammatory Enteropathy With and Without Hypoalbuminemia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Previous studies have identified hypoalbuminemia as a risk factor for negative outcome in dogs with chronic enteropathy (CE), but it has not been determined whether histopathology differs between CE dogs with and without hypoalbuminemia.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare histopathologic findings in dogs with biopsy-diagnosed inflammatory CE with and without hypoalbuminemia.
  
  
  METHODS
  83 dogs that had intestinal biopsy performed between January 2010-July 2015. Dogs had signs compatible with CE of at least 3-weeks' duration and no evidence of clinically relevant extra-gastrointestinal (GI) disease or potential non-GI causes of hypoalbuminemia. Dogs had primary diagnosis of inflammatory enteritis based on histopathology.
  
  
  METHODS
  Dogs were grouped into CE with normoalbuminemia (CEN; serum albumin concentration ≥3.0 g/dL, N = 46) or chronic enteropathy with hypoalbuminemia (CEH; serum albumin concentration <3.0 g/dL, N = 37). A pathologist (SLP) blinded to the groups reviewed biopsy samples and applied the World Small Animal Veterinary Association scoring system to all samples.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Intestinal biopsy samples from dogs in the CEH group were significantly more likely to display villous stunting, epithelial injury, crypt distension, and lacteal dilatation, and were more likely to have intraepithelial lymphocytes and lamina propria neutrophils than biopsy samples from dogs in the CEN group. Additionally, higher scores for each of the above listed histopathologic criteria were associated with a lower serum albumin concentration.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Histopathologic features of chronic inflammatory enteropathy differ between dogs that are hypo- versus normoalbuminemic. Additional work is needed to elucidate the clinical relevance of these differences.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Wennogle
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Infectious Diseases, Royal Veterinary College, University of London, North Mymms, UK.
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Priestnall
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO.
authors.forename: C B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Webb
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001706:Biopsy / Q000662:veterinary; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D004285:Dogs; D004751:Enteritis / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D034141:Hypoalbuminemia / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D007422:Intestines / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies
keywords: Albumin; Canine; Chronic enteropathy; Histopathology