Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Blood and spinal fluid lactate levels predict outcomes in dogs
By Portero, M et al.·Published in Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)·2019·Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, Spain·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Cerebrospinal fluid and blood lactate concentrations as prognostic biomarkers in dogs with meningoencephalitis of unknown origin.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs diagnosed with meningoencephalitis of unknown origin (MUO) showed varying levels of blood and cerebrospinal fluid lactate, which could help predict their recovery. Dogs treated with medications like prednisolone and cytosine arabinoside had better outcomes when their initial lactate levels were lower. Higher lactate levels in both blood and cerebrospinal fluid were linked to worse survival rates and more severe symptoms. This study suggests that monitoring these lactate levels can provide valuable information about a dog's prognosis and response to treatment.
People also search for: dog meningoencephalitis treatment · high lactate levels in dogs · dog neurological symptoms prognosis
Abstract
Meningoencephalitis of unknown origin (MUO) is a common inflammatory disease of the central nervous system. Several studies investigated finding prognostic factors, but results are contradictory. The aim of this study was to determine the concentrations of blood lactate (Blood-L) and cerebrospinal fluid lactate (CSF-L) in dogs with MUO for prognostic purposes. A total of 45 dogs with MUO (MUO group) and 11 with idiopathic epilepsy (IE group) were included. In the MUO group, 22 dogs were treated with prednisolone + cytosine arabinoside, 17 with prednisolone ± cyclosporine, and six received no treatment. In the MUO group, there was a strong-moderate positive correlation between Blood-L and CSF-L (ρ = 0.63557; P < 0.0001), a strong-moderate negative correlation between survival and CSF-L (ρ= -0.50210; P < 0.0004), and a weak negative correlation between survival and Blood-L (ρ= -0.35685; P < 0.0220). Dogs with a favourable response to treatment at 1 month had lower initial concentrations of Blood-L and CSF-L (P < 0.0010; P < 0.0037), and those with a worse response had higher values (P < 0.0497; P < 0.0004). Dogs that remained stable with treatment showed lower CSF-L concentrations (P < 0.0013). Dogs with Blood-L>4 mmol/L (P < 0.03) and/or CSF-L> 4 mmol/L (P < 0.009) had lower survival rates with the latter also showing more severe signs, probably indicating severe neuronal damage. These findings suggest that concentrations of CSF-L and Blood-L in dogs with MUO could be used as prognostic indicators.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31836169/