Sensitivity and Specificity of Canine Pancreas-Specific Lipase (cPL) and Other Markers for Pancreatitis in 70 Dogs with and without Histopathologic Evidence of Pancreatitis

Abstract

Abstract Background Pancreatitis is a common disorder in dogs for which the antemortem diagnosis remains challenging. Objectives To compare the sensitivity and specificity of serum markers for pancreatitis in dogs with histopathologic evidence of pancreatitis or lack thereof. Animals Seventy dogs necropsied for a variety of reasons in which the pancreas was removed within 4 hours of euthanasia and serological markers were evaluated within 24 hours of death. Methods Prospective study: Serum was analyzed for amylase and lipase activities, and concentrations of canine trypsin-like immunoreactivity (cTLI) and canine pancreas-specific lipase (cPL). Serial transverse sections of the pancreas were made every 2 cm throughout the entire pancreas and reviewed using a semiquantitative histopathologic grading scheme. Results The sensitivity for the Spec cPL (cutoff value 400 μg/L) was 21 and 71% in dogs with mild (n = 56) or moderate-severe pancreatitis (n = 7), and 43 and 71% (cutoff value 200 μg/L), respectively. The sensitivity for the cTLI, serum amylase, and lipase in dogs with mild or moderate-severe pancreatitis was 30 and 29%; 7 and 14%; and 54 and 71%, respectively. The specificity for the Spec cPL based on 7 normal pancreata was 100 and 86% (cutoff value 400 and 200 μg/L, respectively), whereas the specificity for the cTLI, serum amylase, and lipase activity was 100, 100, and 43%, respectively. Conclusion and Clinical Importance The Spec cPL demonstrated the best overall performance characteristics (sensitivity and specificity) compared to other serum markers for diagnosing histopathologic lesions of pancreatitis in dogs.