Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Relapse rates and signs in dogs with steroid-responsive
By Biedermann, E et al.·Published in The Journal of small animal practice·2016·Department of Small Animal Medicine, Germany·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Relapses in dogs with steroid-responsive meningitis-arteritis.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 74 dogs diagnosed with steroid-responsive meningitis-arteritis (an inflammation of the brain and spinal cord) was studied to see how often they experienced relapses after treatment. About 32% of these dogs had at least one relapse, while 55% remained relapse-free. The study found that normal levels of C-reactive protein in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid were common in dogs without relapses, but even dogs with relapses could have normal levels. This means that while relapses are common, there isn't a clear way to predict them, and ongoing treatment may still be necessary even if tests look normal.
People also search for: dog meningitis treatment · steroid-responsive meningitis in dogs · dog relapse after meningitis treatment
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To describe relapse rates in steroid-responsive meningitis-arteritis and to describe clinical and laboratory parameters in dogs with and without relapses. METHODS: Seventy-four dogs with steroid-responsive meningitis-arteritis were retrospectively identified and assigned to one of three groups: (1) without relapse; (2) at least one relapse and (3) unknown relapse status. The following parameters are reported for the first two groups: sex, age, breed, body weight, nucleated cell count, total protein concentration and percentage of neutrophils on initial cerebrospinal fluid analysis, immunoglobulin A in serum and initial cerebrospinal fluid analysis, nucleated cell count on cerebrospinal fluid analysis at 3-month re-evaluation, C-reactive protein in serum and initial cerebrospinal fluid analysis and at 3-month re-evaluation. RESULTS: Relapses occurred in 32 · 4% of dogs (one relapse: 62 · 5%; two relapses: 25 · 0%; three relapses: 8 · 3%; four relapses: 4 · 2%), 55 · 4% were relapse-free and in 12 · 2% the relapse status was unknown. C-reactive protein in serum and cerebrospinal fluid on 3-month re-evaluation was normal in 80% and 75% of dogs with relapses, respectively. In dogs without relapse, C-reactive protein in serum and cerebrospinal fluid on 3-month re-evaluation was normal in 100% and 90% of dogs, respectively. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Relapses are frequent but no reliable predictive indicator has emerged in this study. Nevertheless, elevated C-reactive protein in serum warrants continuing therapy; normal C-reactive protein in serum does not exclude future relapse.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26582438/