Serum trypsin-like immunoreactivity in dogs with diabetes mellitus

Association between Hyperglycemia and Canine Serum Pancreatic Lipase Immunoreactivity Concentration in Diabetic Dogs

It has been reported that hypertriglyceridemia can partially mediate between diabetes mellitus (DM) and pancreatitis in dogs, implying that another mediator, such as chronic hyperglycemia, might exist. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the relationship between hyperglycemia and serum canine pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity (cPLI) concentration in diabetic dogs. This retrospective cohort study included 26 client-owned diabetic dogs, divided according to their serum fructosamine levels (<500 μmol/L = well-controlled DM group; ≥500 μmol/L = untreated or poorly controlled DM group). Five of the 26 DM dogs (19.2%) had serum cPLI concentrations consistent with pancreatitis, among which two showed ultrasonographic evidence of pancreatitis without clinical signs. The serum cPLI concentrations (median [interquartile range]) were significantly higher in the untreated or poorly controlled group (520 μg/L [179.76-1000 μg/L]) than in the well-controlled group (77 μg/L [32.22-244.6 μg/L], P = 0.0147). The serum fructosamine concentration was positively correlated with the serum cPLI concentration (r = 0.4816; P = 0.0127). Multivariate analysis revealed serum triglyceride and fructosamine concentrations were associated with the serum cPLI concentration. In conclusion, this study suggests that chronic hyperglycemia may induce pancreatic inflammation in diabetic dogs; however, the clinical significance of increased cPLI concentration is unknown.

Serum trypsin-like immunoreactivity in dogs with diabetes mellitus

Background

Concurrent exocrine pancreatic dysfunction and decreased pancreatic organ size are common findings in various stages of human type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM). Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) is incompletely described in diabetic dogs.

Objective

To compare canine trypsin‐like immunoreactivity (cTLI) of diabetic dogs with that of healthy controls. A secondary aim was to evaluate the correlation between duration of DM and cTLI.

Animals

Thirty client‐owned diabetic dogs and thirty client‐owned control dogs.

Methods

Cross‐sectional study. Diabetic and healthy control dogs were included if they had no clinical evidence of pancreatitis and if serum samples obtained after food was withheld were available. Serum cTLI was measured at a reference laboratory and compared between groups. Canine pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity (cPLI) was analyzed concurrently as an indicator of pancreatitis.

Results

The median cTLI concentration in all diabetic dogs (36.4 μg/L [range, 7.0‐288 μg/L]) did not differ from control dogs (28.7 μg/L [range, 12.8‐58.6 μg/L]) (P = .07; difference −7.8 μg/L [95% Confidence Interval (CI), −23.5 to 0.6 μg/L]). There was still no difference in cTLI between groups after exclusion of dogs with cPLI consistent with pancreatitis (n = 8 diabetic dogs). There was no correlation between cTLI and DM duration in all diabetic dogs (r = −0.07, [95% CI, −0.43 to 0.3], P = .7).

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

There was no evidence of EPI as evaluated using cTLI in this cohort of diabetic dogs, but concurrent increases in cPLI suggest cTLI might not be the optimal indicator of exocrine pancreatic dysfunction in dogs with DM.