Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Urine protein NGAL rises in dogs with urinary tract infection
By Daure, Evence et al.·Published in Research in veterinary science·2013·Internal Medicine Service, Canada·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Elevation of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) in non-azotemic dogs with urinary tract infection.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs suspected of having a urinary tract infection (UTI) had their urine tested for a protein called NGAL, which can indicate kidney issues. The study found that dogs with a confirmed UTI had much higher levels of NGAL in their urine compared to healthy dogs and those without a UTI. This suggests that measuring NGAL can help veterinarians identify UTIs in dogs, especially when kidney disease is a concern. The findings highlight the importance of considering UTI when interpreting NGAL levels in urine tests.
People also search for: dog urinary tract infection symptoms · elevated NGAL in dogs · how to treat UTI in dogs
Abstract
Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) is a promising biomarker in humans and dogs with kidney disease. This protein is expressed by many cells including renal tubular cells and neutrophils. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of urinary tract infection (UTI) on urinary NGAL (uNGAL) concentration in dogs. Urine culture and measurement of uNGAL level were performed in 80 non-azotemic dogs suspected of UTI and 19 healthy dogs. Dogs were divided in three groups: 19 healthy dogs, 25 dogs with positive culture and 55 dogs suspected of UTI but with negative culture. uNGAL and uNGAL/Creatinine was significantly higher (P < 0.0001) in dogs with UTI (14.22 ng/mL;19.74 μg/g) compared to Healthy (0.24 ng/mL;0.11 μg/g) and Negative (1.13 ng/mL;1.28 μg/g) dogs. A uNGAL value <3.38 ng/mL had a negative predictive value for UTI of 87%. Presence of UTI has to be considered when uNGAL is used to detect kidney disease.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24074691/