Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Serum cortisol levels predict survival in hospitalized dogs
By Yuki, Masashi et al.·Published in BMC veterinary research·2019·Yuki Animal Hospital, Japan·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Investigation of serum cortisol concentration as a potential prognostic marker in hospitalized dogs: a prospective observational study in a primary care animal hospital.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study found that measuring cortisol levels in dogs can help predict their chances of recovery after being hospitalized for medical issues. Researchers looked at dogs' cortisol levels and other blood markers at 0 and 24 hours after admission. They discovered that higher cortisol levels at 24 hours were linked to a lower chance of survival. Specifically, a cortisol level above 6.6 micrograms per deciliter indicated a higher risk of mortality. This information can help veterinarians assess the prognosis for dogs in the hospital and tailor their treatment accordingly.
People also search for: dog hospital prognosis · dog cortisol levels · signs of dog stress · how to help my sick dog recover
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Dogs with various medical diseases are usually treated at hospitals; however, the prognostic markers in dogs remain unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the ability of serum cortisol concentration (SCC) to predict the prognosis of dogs with medical diseases. At 0 and 24 h after hospitalization, the neutrophil count, lymphocyte count, blood glucose concentration, and SCC were measured. Survival for 30 days from the time of hospitalization was investigated, and the dogs were divided into a survivor group and a non-survivor group. RESULTS: The neutrophil count at 24 h, SCC at 24 h, increase in SCC from 0 to 24 h (Inc-SCC), and the rate of increase in SCC from 0 to 24 h (R-Inc-SCC) were significantly higher in the non-survivor group than in the survivor group. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve values for the neutrophil count at 24 h, SCC at 24 h, Inc-SCC, and R-Inc-SCC were 0.695, 0.72, 0.63, and 0.66, respectively. Using the highest area under the ROC curve value, the sensitivity and specificity of SCC at a cutoff level of 6.6 μg/dL for predicting mortality were 89.5 and 61.9%, respectively. Moreover, the Kaplan-Meier curves confirmed the significant prognostic influence of SCC at 24 h. CONCLUSIONS: SCC as a marker of stress is a useful biomarker for predicting the prognosis of dogs with medical diseases requiring hospital treatment.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31126272/