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. 2024 Apr 26;14(9):1305.
doi: 10.3390/ani14091305.

A Pilot Study of the Role of Selected Biomarkers of Kidney Injury in Dogs with Dilated Cardiomyopathy

Affiliations

A Pilot Study of the Role of Selected Biomarkers of Kidney Injury in Dogs with Dilated Cardiomyopathy

Karolina Wrześniewska et al. Animals (Basel). .

Abstract

Heart and kidney diseases are among the most frequent medical conditions diagnosed in small animals. Due to the functional interconnection between these organs, the concept of the cardio-renal axis has been developed. In this context, renal disease or dysfunction often occurs secondary to heart diseases, such as dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). DCM is the most common cardiomyopathy and a leading cause of mortality in large-breed dogs. Traditional biomarkers like creatinine or symmetric dimethylarginine concentration are not always effective, especially in the early stages of the disease, underscoring the need for more sensitive markers of renal impairment during heart failure (HF). This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of selected biomarkers as indicators for early kidney damage in dogs with stage B2 DCM. We measured serum concentrations of cystatin C, KIM-1 (kidney injury molecule-1), and NGAL (neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin) and their ratios to creatinine, analyzing their diagnostic values. Cystatin C was quantified using a sandwich enzyme immunoassay, while KIM-1 and NGAL were measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits designed for canine diagnostics. The concentrations were indexed against serum creatinine. The study included 26 dogs: 9 with HF and 17 healthy controls. The mean ± standard deviation for healthy dogs for cystatin C, cystatin C/creatinine ratio, KIM-1, KIM-1/creatinine ratio, NGAL, and NGAL/creatinine ratio were 0.24 ± 0.04, 0.26 ± 0.07, 0.61 ± 0.07, 0.67 ± 0.13, 2.76 ± 1.8, and 2.79 ± 1.81, respectively. For DCM dogs, these values were 0.27 ± 0.1, 0.32 ± 0.12, 0.61 ± 0.08, 0.69 ± 0.17, 6.46 ± 5.22 (p = 0.02), and 7.99 ± 6.53 (p = 0.04). This study's findings suggest that during the asymptomatic phase of DCM, only NGAL concentration and the NGAL/creatinine ratio may serve as diagnostic markers for early-stage kidney injury.

Keywords: KIM-1; NGAL; biomarkers in veterinary nephrology; canine cardio–renal axis disorders; cystatin C; dilated cardiomyopathy in dogs; early renal dysfunction detection.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Biomarker comparison between the control and DCM groups. The figure presents a bar graph comparing six biomarkers between a control group (n = 17) and a dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) group (n = 9). Biomarkers, including cystatin C, KIM-1, NGAL, and their ratios to creatinine (Cr), are measured in mg/L, ng/mL, and dimensionless units, respectively. Mean values are depicted by bar heights, with the standard error of means (SEMs) indicated by error bars. Significant differences were observed in NGAL (p = 0.02) and the NGAL/Cr ratio (p = 0.04), suggesting their potential diagnostic significance in DCM. The graph provides a clear visualization of biomarker variations, aiding in the assessment of their clinical relevance in DCM.

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Grants and funding

This research received no external funding.