Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Association between canine pancreatic-specific lipase and histologic exocrine pancreatic inflammation in dogs: assessing specificity.
- Journal:
- Journal of veterinary diagnostic investigation : official publication of the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians, Inc
- Year:
- 2012
- Authors:
- Mansfield, Caroline S et al.
- Affiliation:
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Science · Australia
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
This study looked at a blood test called canine pancreatic-specific lipase (cPL) to see how well it can indicate inflammation in the pancreas of dogs. Researchers examined 32 dogs after they had died, measuring their cPL levels and checking their pancreatic tissue for signs of inflammation and scarring. They found that the cPL test was pretty good at identifying dogs without significant pancreatic inflammation, but it wasn't as reliable for those with mild cases. The results suggest that if a dog shows signs of pancreatitis, like vomiting or not eating well, vets should also use imaging tests to get a clearer picture of what's happening in the abdomen. Overall, while the cPL test can be helpful, it should not be the only tool used to diagnose pancreatitis in dogs.
Abstract
The current study aimed to determine the specificity, and to a lesser extent the sensitivity, of canine pancreatic-specific lipase (cPL) concentration in dogs with various disease conditions. Dogs were presented for postmortem examination and had serum collected for cPL concentration within 6 hr preceding death or immediately postmortem. Pancreatic tissue was collected postmortem, and sections from the left lobe, right lobe, and body of the pancreas were examined histologically. Inflammation and fibrosis in each section were assessed to determine a total pancreatic inflammatory score and pancreatic fibrosis score in each dog. Correlations between these scores and the cPL concentration were made, as well as determination of specificity. A total of 32 dogs were included in the analysis, 20 of whom had no to minimal pancreatic inflammation. The specificity of cPL with a cutoff value of 200 µg/l was 80% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 56-94%), while with a cutoff of 400 µg/l, the specificity was 90% (95% CI: 68-99%). There was a significant but rather low correlation between cPL concentration and the pancreatic inflammation score, but not with the fibrosis score. Canine pancreatic-specific lipase concentration has good specificity overall in dogs without pancreatitis. This test is less useful in dogs with milder pancreatitis, and both false-positive and false-negative results occur. Results indicated that dogs with clinical signs suggestive of pancreatitis would require abdominal imaging in addition to serum cPL testing to evaluate the cause (or causes) of clinical signs.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22362529/