Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Vitamin D, inflammation, and immune function in diabetic dogs
By Jaffey, Jared A et al.·Published in Frontiers in veterinary science·2024·Department of Specialty Medicine, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Evaluation of serum vitamin D metabolites, phagocytosis, and biomarkers of inflammation in dogs with naturally occurring diabetes mellitus.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 20 diabetic dogs, some well-managed and others not, were studied to understand their immune function and inflammation levels. The researchers found that diabetic dogs had higher levels of a protein linked to inflammation (C-reactive protein) compared to healthy dogs. Those with poorly controlled diabetes showed even higher inflammation markers. Although the diabetic dogs had some issues with their immune response, they were able to consume more bacteria per immune cell. The study suggests that managing diabetes in dogs may help reduce inflammation and improve their immune health.
People also search for: dog diabetes symptoms · diabetic dog treatment · inflammation in dogs · managing diabetes in dogs · dog immune system issues
Abstract
Naturally occurring diabetes mellitus (NODM) is one of the most common endocrine disorders in dogs and its etiology closely resembles type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) in people. Human patients with T1DM commonly have cellular derangements consistent with inflammation, impaired immune function, and hypovitaminosis D. There is little information available regarding inflammatory biomarkers, immune function, and vitamin D status in diabetic dogs. Therefore, our objectives were to assess inflammatory biomarkers, vitamin D metabolites, and phagocytic capacity in diabetic dogs and determine whether associations exist with these variables and the level of clinical control or vitamin D metabolites. This was a prospective case-control study that included 20 otherwise healthy diabetic dogs (clinically controlled, = 10; uncontrolled, = 10) and 20 non-diabetic, healthy, age (± 2 years), breed, and sex matched controls. Complete blood count, biochemical panel, urinalysis, and fructosamine were performed at a single commercial reference laboratory. Basal plasma tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, and IL-10 were measured using a canine-specific multiplex bead-based assay. Serum C-reactive protein (CRP) was measured using a commercially available ELISA kit. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin (OH)Dand 24,25-dihydroxyvitamin (OH)Dwere measured with HPLC. Phagocytosis of opsonized-() was evaluated with flow cytometry. Diabetic dogs had higher serum CRP concentrations than controls ( = 0.02). Plasma IL-8 concentrations were higher in diabetic dogs with uncontrolled clinical disease compared to controls ( = 0.02). Diabetic dogs had a lower percentage of leukocytes that phagocytized opsonized-( = 0.02), but an increased number of bacteria phagocytized per cell ( < 0.001) compared to controls. No between-group differences were identified in vitamin D metabolites, nor were associations found between vitamin D and any variables. Fructosamine had a positive association with serum CRP concentration (rho = 0.35, = 0.03) and number of bacteria phagocytized per cell (rho = 0.45, = 0.004) in our cohort ( = 40). Like people with T1DM, diabetic dogs have a proinflammatory phenotype and phagocytic dysregulation that may be correlated with glycemic control.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39234180/