Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Urine test for liver-type protein helps diagnose kidney disease
By Takashima, Satoshi et al.·Published in The Journal of veterinary medical science·2021·Joint Department of Veterinary Medicine, Japan·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Clinical evaluation of urinary liver-type fatty acid-binding protein for the diagnosis of renal diseases in dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study found that dogs with kidney disease had higher levels of a specific protein (L-FABP) in their urine compared to healthy dogs. This protein can help detect kidney problems early, as it is released when the kidneys are under stress. The researchers tested urine samples from 94 dogs, including 23 with kidney disease, and discovered that a urinary L-FABP level above 26 micrograms per gram of creatinine indicated a higher likelihood of kidney issues. This test could be a useful tool for veterinarians in diagnosing renal diseases in dogs.
People also search for: dog kidney disease symptoms · how to test for kidney problems in dogs · elevated L-FABP in dog urine
Abstract
Liver-type fatty acid-binding protein (L-FABP) is a biomarker for the early detection of renal diseases in humans. L-FABP is a cytotoxic oxidation product secreted from the proximal tubules under ischemic and oxidative stress conditions. First, L-FABP gene expression in the kidney and liver was evaluated. Next, the urinary L-FABP concentrations in dogs with or without renal diseases were measured using a novel enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. Urinary L-FABP was normalized relative to urinary creatinine (uCre) concentrations (µg/g uCre). Finally, the relationships between urinary L-FABP and renal biomarkers used in canine medicine or serum alanine transaminase (ALT) as an indicator of liver damage were examined. Serum and urine samples from 94 client-owned dogs including 23 dogs with renal diseases and 71 dogs without renal diseases were used for analysis. Relative L-FABP gene expression was confirmed both in the liver and kidney. Dogs with renal diseases had a significantly higher urinary L-FABP than those without, and its predictive cutoff value was 26 µg/g uCre. Urinary L-FABP was significantly correlated with serum creatinine (r=0.4674, P<0.01), urea nitrogen (r=0.4907, P<0.01), urine specific gravity (r=-0.5100, P<0.01), and urine protein/creatinine ratio (r=0.7216, P<0.01), but not with serum ALT. Hence, dogs with a high urinary L-FABP value were more likely to have renal diseases.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34526412/