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. 2020 Jul;21(4):e47.
doi: 10.4142/jvs.2020.21.e47.

Serum homocysteine concentration in dogs with immunosuppressant-responsive enteropathy

Elena Benvenuti  1 , Alessio Pierini  2 , Eleonora Gori  1 , Enrico Bottero  3 , Marco Pietra  4 , Ilaria Lippi  1 , Valentina Meucci  1 , Veronica Marchetti  1
Affiliations

Serum homocysteine concentration in dogs with immunosuppressant-responsive enteropathy

Elena Benvenuti et al. J Vet Sci. 2020 Jul.

Abstract

Background: Homocysteine (HCY) was evaluated in healthy and chronic enteropathic dogs, however no studies on dogs with immunosuppressant-responsive enteropathy are available.

Objectives: The aim was to evaluate serum HCY concentrations and its prognostic role in dogs with immunosuppressant-responsive enteropathy compared to healthy dogs.

Methods: Serum HCY concentration was statistically compared between 24 healthy dogs and 29 dogs with immunosuppressant-responsive enteropathy. Correlation analyses between serum total protein, albumin (ALB), C-reactive protein (CRP), folate and cobalamin, and serum HCY concentration were performed in immunosuppressant-responsive enteropathic dogs.

Results: The associations between serum HCY concentration and clinical, histological, endoscopic scores and follow-up were evaluated. Mean serum HCY concentration was higher in immunosuppressant-responsive enteropathic dogs compared to control dogs (30.22 ± 8.67 μmol/L vs. 5.26 ± 2.78 μmol/L; p < 0.0001). No association between serum HCY concentration and total protein, ALB, CRP, folate concentration as well as, clinical score, histological and endoscopic scores was found. A negative correlation between serum HCY concentration and cobalamin was noted (p = 0.0025, r = -0.54). No significant difference in HCY was found between responsive and non-responsive dogs or between survivors and non-survivors.

Conclusions: Although, serum HCY concentration was higher in immunosuppressant-responsive enteropathy, its prognostic value remains unclear. However, further prospective, large-scale studies are warranted to better investigate the possible prognostic role of HCY in immunosuppressant-responsive enteropathic dogs.

Keywords: CCECAI; Cobalamin; HPLC; canine; folate.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest. No third-party funding or support was received in association with the present study or the writing or publication of the manuscript.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1. Serum HCY evaluation in CD and in IRE dogs.
HCY, homocysteine; CD, control dogs; IRE, immunosuppressant-responsive enteropathy.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2. Correlation between serum cobalamin and serum HCY concentration in immunosuppressant-responsive enteropathy dogs (p = 0.002).
HCY, homocysteine.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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