Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Albumin in urine as a sign of early kidney disease in dogs
By Karel Paukner et al.·Published in Veterinary Medicine and Science·2024·Small Animal Clinic University of Veterinary Sciences Brno Brno Czech Republic, GB·View original on DOAJ →
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Original publication title: A comprehensive analysis of albuminuria in canine chronic kidney disease
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study looked at how well a urine test called the urinary albumin to creatinine ratio (UAC) can help detect kidney problems in dogs with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The researchers found that dogs with early CKD had much higher UAC levels compared to healthy dogs, indicating that this test could be useful for spotting kidney issues. They also noted that UAC levels were linked to other kidney function markers and blood pressure, especially in dogs with severe hypertension. This suggests that the UAC test could be a valuable tool for veterinarians in diagnosing and monitoring kidney health in dogs.
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Abstract
Abstract Background Albuminuria, an important marker of decreased kidney function in chronic kidney disease (CKD), is not routinely used for CKD detection or proteinuria appearance. Its relationships with biochemical parameters and blood pressure in dogs are poorly understood. Objectives This study aimed to evaluate the relationship of albuminuria with various CKD markers, its correlation with the urinary protein to creatinine ratio (UPC), and hypertension in dogs with early stages of CKD. It also sought to determine the usability of the urinary albumin to creatinine ratio (UAC) for CKD screening. Methods The study reviewed records of 102 dogs, categorising them into four groups based on disease status. UAC and UPC ratio, biochemistry and haematology variables, age, and systolic blood pressure were determined. Results The Pearson's correlation coefficient between log‐transformed values of UPC and UAC was r = 0.902 (95% CI: 0.87 to 0.93). Median UAC ratio values were 2.1 mg/g for the Healthy control group (n = 17), 54.2 mg/g for early stages CKD (n = 42), 5.8 mg/g for Acute sick control (n = 30), and 104 mg/g for Chronic sick control (n = 13). Thresholding UAC ratio as an indicator for impaired kidney function with the threshold of 10 mg/g (established based on the receiver operating characteristic curve) had a sensitivity 81.8%, specificity of 89.4%, positive predictive value (PPV) 90%, and negative predictive value (NPV) 80.1%. The correlation of UAC with biochemistry and haematology variables was statistically significant; for SDMA (μg/L), it was r = 0.566 and for other variables, it was weak to moderate. UAC was markedly elevated in cases of severe hypertension. Conclusions UAC ratio was significantly different among dogs with impaired and not impaired kidney function. The correlation strength for the UAC and UPC ratios was high. UAC ratio may be a promising marker for proteinuria analysis in dogs with CKD or other kidney function alterations.
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Search related cases →Original publication on DOAJ: https://doi.org/10.1002/vms3.1403