Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Lokivetmab treatment and itching levels in dogs with atopic dermatitis
By Calesso, J R et al.·Published in Polish journal of veterinary sciences·2023·Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences and Surgery, Brazil·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Correlation between clinical efficacy on pruritus and serum interleukin-31 levels in dogs with atopic dermatitis treated with lokivetmab.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs with atopic dermatitis (a skin allergy) received two injections of lokivetmab, a treatment that targets a specific protein linked to itching. Owners noticed a significant decrease in their dogs' itching levels after the injections, as measured by a pruritus scale. However, the overall severity of skin lesions did not change significantly. This suggests that while lokivetmab effectively reduces itching, it may not improve the skin's appearance or extent of lesions.
People also search for: dog itching treatment · lokivetmab for dog allergies · atopic dermatitis in dogs symptoms
Abstract
Studies on serum interleukin (IL)-31 levels in dogs with atopic dermatitis (AD) and their correlation with disease severity are limited. To the author's knowledge, there are no studies that measured serum IL-31 in dogs treated with lokivetmab injections, a selective inhibitor of this key cytokine in pruritus. The aim of the study was to evaluate serum IL-31 levels in dogs treated with lokivetmab and correlate it with the severity of canine atopic dermatitis using the pruritus visual analog scale (pVAS) and canine atopic dermatitis extent and severity index (CADESI-04). Ten client-owned dogs diagnosed with AD received two injections of lokivetmab four weeks apart. Disease severity was assessed using the pVAS and CADESI-04 scores before and after both injections. In addition, canine serum IL-31 levels were measured at the same moments. Serum IL-31 was detected in all dogs in the study. There was a significant reduction in pVAS scores and serum IL-31 after administrations. However, there was no difference in CADESI-04 scores, and there was no significant correlation between CADESI-04 scores and serum IL-31 in dogs diagnosed with AD. Nonetheless, a significant positive correlation was observed between the pVAS scores and serum IL-31 levels with lokivetmab therapy, which reinforces the role of IL-31 in the pathogenesis of pruritus in dogs with AD. The data presented here provide further evidence that IL-31 is directly involved in pruritus pathogenesis in dogs with AD. In addition, blocking IL-31 has a significant antipruritic effect, but has no influence on skin lesion severity and extension.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37389418/