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. 2019 Mar;33(2):758-763.
doi: 10.1111/jvim.15442. Epub 2019 Mar 9.

Vitamin D metabolism in dogs with and without hypercalciuric calcium oxalate urolithiasis

Elizabeth M Groth  1 , Jody P Lulich  1 , Dennis J Chew  2 , Valerie J Parker  2 , Eva Furrow  1
Affiliations

Vitamin D metabolism in dogs with and without hypercalciuric calcium oxalate urolithiasis

Elizabeth M Groth et al. J Vet Intern Med. 2019 Mar.

Abstract

Background: There are abnormalities in vitamin D metabolism in people with calcium nephrolithiasis, but limited data are available on vitamin D status in dogs with calcium oxalate (CaOx) urolithiasis.

Objective: To compare serum concentrations of vitamin D metabolites in dogs with and without hypercalciuric CaOx urolithiasis.

Animals: Thirty-eight dogs with (n = 19) and without (n = 19) a history of CaOx urolithiasis and hypercalciuria.

Methods: Retrospective cross-sectional study. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D [1,25(OH)2 D], and 24,25-dihydroxyvitamin D [24,25(OH)2 D] were measured. The ratios of 25(OH)D/24,25(OH)2 D and 1,25(OH)2 D/25(OH)D were compared between cases and controls.

Results: There were no significant differences between cases and controls when comparing 25(OH)D, 24,25(OH)2 D, 1,25(OH)2 D, or 1,25(OH)2 D/25(OH)D. Cases had higher 25(OH)D/24,25(OH)2 D (median = 1.40, range = 0.98-1.58) compared to controls (median = 1.16, range = 0.92-2.75; P = .01). There was overlap in the ranges for 25(OH)D/24,25(OH)2 D between cases and controls, but 6 cases (32%) had ratios above the control dog range. There was a moderate positive correlation between the ratio of 25(OH)D/24,25(OH)2 D and urinary calcium-to-creatinine ratios (r = 0.40, 95% confidence interval = 0.10-0.64; P = .01).

Conclusions and clinical importance: These data suggest that decreased conversion of 25(OH)D to 24,25(OH)2 D occurs in a subset of dogs with CaOx urolithiasis. Abnormalities in vitamin D metabolism might contribute to stone risk in dogs.

Keywords: calcitriol; canine; hypercalciuria; stones.

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Conflict of interest statement

Authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Box and whisker plots of serum 25(OH)D/24,25(OH)2D concentrations (ng/ng) in cases versus controls (P = .01). The boxes represent the 25th and 75th percentiles. The whiskers represent range of ratios. The dots represent each individual within the specified group (open circles indicate cases and closed circles indicate controls)
Figure 2
Figure 2
Relationship between serum 25(OH)D/24,25(OH)2 concentrations (ng/ng) and UCa/Cr in cases (open circles, dotted line; r = −0.29, P = .23) and controls (closed circles, solid line; r = 0.56, P = .01). Data are plotted on a base 10 logarithmic scale
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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