Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How kidney tests SDMA and creatinine relate in healthy dogs
By McKenna, Myles et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2020·Department of Clinical Science and Services, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Relationship between serum iohexol clearance, serum SDMA concentration, and serum creatinine concentration in non-azotemic dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 119 dogs with normal kidney function had their kidney health assessed using a special test that measures how well their kidneys filter waste. The study found that two common blood tests, serum creatinine and symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA), can help detect early signs of kidney disease. Specifically, an SDMA level above 18 micrograms per deciliter was found to be a reliable indicator of decreased kidney function, while levels above 14 micrograms per deciliter were sensitive but less specific. This means that using the higher cutoff can help vets better identify dogs at risk for kidney issues without missing those that truly have problems.
People also search for: dog kidney disease symptoms · SDMA test for dogs · how to detect kidney problems in dogs
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Serum creatinine and symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) are used as surrogate markers of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in clinical practice. Data pertaining to the correlations between GFR, SDMA, and serum creatinine in client-owned dogs are limited. OBJECTIVES: To describe the relationship between GFR, SDMA, and serum creatinine in a population of client-owned dogs, and to compare clinical utility of SDMA to GFR estimation for detecting pre-azotemic chronic kidney disease. ANIMALS: Medical records of 119 dogs that had GFR estimation performed via serum iohexol clearance between 2012 and 2017. METHODS: Prospective study using archived samples. GFR, SDMA, and serum creatinine results were reviewed and submitting practices contacted for outcome data. All dogs included in the study population were non-azotemic. Correlations between GFR, SDMA, and serum creatinine were determined by regression analysis. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative likelihood ratios of different cutoffs for SDMA and serum creatinine for detecting decreased GFR were calculated, using a 95% confidence interval. RESULTS: Serum creatinine and SDMA were moderately correlated with GFR (R= 0.52 and 0.27, respectively, P < .0001) and with each other (R= 0.33, P < .0001). SDMA >14 μg/dL was sensitive (90%) but nonspecific (50%) for detecting a ≥40% decrease in GFR. Optimal SDMA concentration cutoff for detecting a ≥40% GFR decrease was >18 μg/dL (sensitivity 90%, specificity 83%). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: In non-azotemic dogs being screened for decreased renal function, using a cutoff of >18 μg/dL rather than >14 μg/dL increases the specificity of SDMA, without compromising sensitivity.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31725186/