Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
High SDMA blood levels linked to cancer in dogs and cats
By Coyne, Michael J et al.·Published in Veterinary and comparative oncology·2022·IDEXX Laboratories, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: The association between symmetric dimethylarginine concentrations and various neoplasms in dogs and cats.
Plain-English summary
A study found that dogs and cats diagnosed with lymphoma often had higher levels of symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA), a substance that can indicate kidney issues, even when their kidney function appeared normal. This was particularly notable in pets with lymphoma, where the SDMA levels were significantly elevated compared to healthy animals. The findings suggest that increased SDMA could be a marker for lymphoma in pets, but more research is needed to understand its significance. If your pet has been diagnosed with lymphoma, discussing SDMA levels with your veterinarian may provide additional insights into their health.
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Abstract
Following the introduction of the symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) immunoassay, cases were reported where the SDMA concentration was markedly increased above the reference interval (RI) with neither concurrent increases in serum creatinine (Cr) concentrations nor clinical signs of kidney disease. Many of these animals were also concurrently diagnosed with cancer, most commonly lymphoma. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the association of increased SDMA in dogs and cats with lymphoma and other cancers as compared with age- and breed-matched non-tumour controls. In this retrospective case-control study, serum chemistry results from 1804 tumour cases, and age- and breed-matched non-tumour control animals were used. Matched-pair odds ratios between animals diagnosed with neoplasms and non-tumour controls for dichotomized SDMA values were determined by tumour type. SDMA concentrations were significantly higher in dogs and cats with lymphoma (p < .0001) compared with non-tumour controls. The odds ratio for increased SDMA concentrations in dogs with lymphoma was 10.0 (95% CI, 5.98-16.72) and for cats with lymphoma was 3.04 (95% CI 1.95-4.73). A significant number of canine and feline lymphoma cases had an increased SDMA concentration not associated with an increased Cr concentration (p < .001). Canine and feline lymphoma patients have an increased odds of having a SDMA concentration above the RI at diagnosis. Further characterization and evaluation of dogs and cats with lymphoma is required to help understand the mechanism(s) and the clinical significance of these alterations.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35718995/