Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Using urine electrolytes to diagnose Addison's disease in dogs
By Dropkin, Casey A et al.·Published in Veterinary clinical pathology·2021·Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Evaluation of urine electrolytes for the diagnosis of hypoadrenocorticism in dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs with suspected adrenal gland issues, specifically hypoadrenocorticism (HA), had their urine tested for sodium and potassium levels to help diagnose the condition. While the results showed differences in urine electrolyte levels between dogs with HA and healthy controls, the overlap was significant enough that these tests alone are not reliable for diagnosing HA. This means that while urine tests can indicate changes in dogs with HA, they should not be solely relied upon for a diagnosis. If your dog is showing symptoms like lethargy, vomiting, or loss of appetite, it's important to consult your veterinarian for a comprehensive evaluation.
People also search for: dog adrenal gland disease symptoms · hypoadrenocorticism diagnosis in dogs · dog urine test results explained
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Most dogs with primary hypoadrenocorticism (HA) have a mineralocorticoid deficiency, which decreases renal tubular sodium reabsorption and potassium excretion. Limited information is available concerning the clinical value of measuring urine electrolytes to aid in an HA diagnosis. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to evaluate the diagnostic utility of urine electrolyte measurements in dogs with HA. METHODS: Urine sodium and potassium concentrations were measured in 89 dogs, including 39 dogs with HA and 50 controls with nonadrenal illness. Fractional excretions of sodium (FE) and potassium (FE) were also calculated. Urine electrolytes and fractional excretion values were compared between the groups. Sensitivities and specificities were determined for various cut-points. RESULTS: The median urine sodium to potassium (Na:K) ratio was twofold greater (P < .001), and median FEwas fourfold greater (P < .001) in HA dogs as compared with controls. However, no cut-point for any variable with >90% sensitivity or specificity provided a corresponding specificity or sensitivity of >50%. When only dogs with abnormal serum or plasma electrolytes were included in the analyses, absolute urine electrolyte concentrations and FEwere not different between study populations (P > .05 for all comparisons), but the FEwas increased (P = .005) and the urine potassium:creatinine ratio was decreased (P < .001) in the control dogs compared with the dogs with HA. CONCLUSIONS: Urine electrolyte concentrations and fractional excretions are altered in dogs with HA. However, substantial overlap exists with control dogs with nonadrenal illness. Therefore, these values are unlikely to have diagnostic utility for dogs with HA.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34699620/