Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Urine cortisol to creatinine ratio for diagnosing Addison's in dogs
By Moya, Melissa V et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·2022·College of Veterinary Medicine, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Investigation of the urine cortisol to creatinine ratio for the diagnosis of hypoadrenocorticism in dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs with low adrenal function (hypoadrenocorticism) was tested using urine samples to measure cortisol levels. Researchers found that the urine cortisol-to-creatinine ratio (UCCR) was a reliable way to diagnose this condition, with two different testing methods showing high accuracy. The radioimmunoassay (RIA) method had a sensitivity of 97.2%, while the chemiluminescent immunoassay (CLIA) method was even more precise, achieving 100% sensitivity and specificity. This means that if your dog is suspected of having adrenal issues, these urine tests can help your vet make an accurate diagnosis.
People also search for: dog low adrenal function symptoms · hypoadrenocorticism diagnosis urine test · dog urine cortisol test accuracy
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the urine cortisol-to-creatinine ratio (UCCR) for the diagnosis of hypoadrenocorticism (HA) in dogs and to determine whether the method of urine cortisol measurement affects results. ANIMALS: 41 dogs with naturally occurring HA and 107 dogs with nonadrenal illness. PROCEDURES: Urine samples were prospectively collected from dogs undergoing testing for HA. Urine cortisol concentrations were measured at a veterinary diagnostic laboratory using either a radioimmunoassay (RIA) or a chemiluminescent immunoassay (CLIA). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed to assess UCCR performance by both methods for HA diagnosis. Sensitivities, specificities, accuracies, and predictive values were calculated for various cutpoints. RESULTS: The areas under the ROC curves for UCCR diagnosis of HA were 0.99 (95% CI, 0.98 to 1.00) and 1.00 (95% CI, 1.00 to 1.00) when urine cortisol was determined by RIA and CLIA, respectively. An RIA UCCR of ≤ 2 was 97.2% sensitive, 93.6% specific, and 94.7% accurate for HA diagnosis, whereas a CLIA UCCR of ≤ 10 was 100% sensitive, specific, and accurate. An RIA UCCR > 4 and a CLIA UCCR of > 10 had negative predictive values of 100%. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The UCCR was an accurate diagnostic test for HA in this study population, although equivocal results are possible. Case characteristics, method of cortisol measurement, and laboratory-specific cutpoints must be considered when interpreting results.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35417417/