Diagnostic value of serum survivin, Ki-67 and thymidine kinase in dogs with nasal cavity disease

Background

The most common nasal cavity disease (ND) in dogs is the malignant nasal cavity tumor. Prognosis and survival after radiation therapy are reported to correlate with tumor size, and therefore indirectly with the time to diagnosis. Diagnosis of a nasal tumor requires imaging procedures under anesthesia. Thus, diagnostic serum markers are urgently needed for early detection and for therapeutic monitoring.

Materials and methods

This prospective, blinded study included dogs with nasal discharge that completed a comprehensive diagnostic workup for ND. Dogs were evaluated by blood testing and whole-body CT and those with concomitant diseases or with steroid pre-treatment were excluded. Serum survivin, Ki-67, and thymidine kinase 1 (TK1) concentrations were determined, and the survivin-lymphocyte ratio (SLR) calculated. Results were compared between groups of dogs with different NDs and to ten healthy controls.

Results

A total of 55 dogs were included, consisting of 25 with malignant ND (12 sarcomas, 13 carcinomas) and 30 with benign ND (7 benign tumors, 13 dogs with idiopathic rhinitis (IR), 10 others including dogs with dental diseases and sinonasal aspergillosis). Survivin and SLR were significantly increased in dogs with malignant ND and in subgroup comparison in sarcomas compared to controls. In addition, the SLR was significantly increased in carcinomas and IR compared to controls. In dogs with IR, no differences were observed in survivin concentrations or SLR based on microbiological or histopathological findings. Survivin concentrations or SLR in dogs with nasal tumors were not significantly different between T-categories. No significant differences were detected in TK1 concentrations among the groups, nor in Ki-67, except for significantly lower Ki-67 concentrations in benign tumors compared to carcinomas and the group others including, e.g., dental diseases.

Conclusion

Although not diagnostic for ND, increased survivin serum concentrations or SLR can be detected in dogs with malignant nasal tumors and IR. In malignant nasal tumors, survivin and SLR did not correlate with tumor size and therefore may be useful in the detection of even small nasal tumors. Therefore, in dogs with nasal tumors and IR, survivin and SLR could serve as a target for disease monitoring or as therapeutic target.

[Chronic rhinitis in dogs and cats - an overview of etiology, diagnostics and therapy]

Chronic rhinitis is one of the most common diseases of the upper respiratory tract in dogs and cats. A multifactorial etiology is likely in most patients. In cats in particular, it is assumed that chronic rhinitis is a consequence of a previous viral infection. Affected animals may show unilateral or bilateral serous to mucopurulent nasal discharge or epistaxis. The diagnosis is based on histopathological examination of nasal mucosal biopsies once other causes of chronic nasal problems such as neoplasia, fungal infections, dental disease, parasites, polyps, or foreign bodies have been ruled out. In some cases, chronic rhinitis may be aggravated secondarily by concomitant bacterial infections. In order to improve mucociliary clearance, nasal lavage, inhalation therapy, and mucolytic medications represent the fundament of long-term treatment. In addition, some patients respond to anti-inflammatory drugs such as corticosteroids or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The administration of antibiotics is currently being discussed controversially, and does not lead to complete resolution of the clinical signs.

Diagnostic Utility of Canine C-Reactive Protein, Haptoglobin, and 25-Hydroxyvitamin-D in Dogs with Nasal Cavity Disease

In this prospective blinded study, canine C-reactive protein (c-CRP), haptoglobin (HPT), and 25-hydroxyvitamin-D (25(OH)D) were investigated for their diagnostic value in 55 dogs with nasal cavity disease (ND). After comprehensive diagnostics including a culture-dependent microbiological examination (ME) of nasal swabs, 17 dogs were excluded due to additionally detected systemic diseases or steroid pre-treatment. Included were 25 dogs with malignant ND (13 carcinomas and 12 sarcomas) and 30 dogs with benign ND (7 benign tumors, 13 idiopathic rhinitis (IR), and 10 others), as well as 10 controls. In none of the 72 dogs with ND was primary bacterial rhinitis diagnosed. Although within the reference interval, compared to the controls, c-CRP was significantly higher in dogs with ND in general and in every subgroup except for benign tumors. Serum HPT concentrations were not different among groups. Compared to the controls, 25(OH)D concentrations were significantly lower (p = 0.041) in malignant ND and sarcomas (p = 0.025). Despite pre-treatment with antibiotics (40/54; 74.1%), in 23/51 (45%) dogs, the ME was positive. Cultivated bacteria did not differ significantly between nasal diseases. The serum markers were not significantly different regarding the positivity of ME. In conclusion, the investigated serum markers were not clinically useful for the reliable detection of canine ND, as was the ME. Because of the low number of dogs with IR and positive or negative ME, further studies regarding c-CRP are needed in a larger group of IR dogs without concomitant diseases to reliably evaluate its utility in IR dogs with suspected secondary bacterial nasal infection.

Host-microbe interactions in the nasal cavity of dogs with chronic idiopathic rhinitis

Chronic rhinitis (CR) is a frustrating clinical syndrome in dogs and our understanding of the disease pathogenesis in is limited. Increasingly, host-microbe interactions are considered key drives of clinical disease in sites of persistent mucosal inflammation such as the nasal and oral cavities. Therefore, we applied next generation sequencing tools to interrogate abnormalities present in the nose of dogs with CR and compared immune and microbiome profiles to those of healthy dogs. Host nasal cell transcriptomes were evaluated by RNA sequencing, while microbial communities were assessed by 16S rRNA sequencing. Correlation analysis was then used to identify significant interactions between nasal cell transcriptomes and the nasal microbiome and how these interactions were altered in animals with CR. Notably, we observed significant downregulation of multiple genes associated with ciliary function in dogs with CR, suggesting a previously undetected role for ciliary dysfunction in this syndrome. We also found significant upregulation of immune genes related to the TNF-α and interferon pathways. The nasal microbiome was also significantly altered in CR dogs, with overrepresentation of several potential pathobionts. Interactome analysis revealed significant correlations between bacteria in the genus Porphyromonas and the upregulated host inflammatory responses in dogs with CR, as well as defective ciliary function which was correlated with Streptococcus abundance. These findings provide new insights into host-microbe interactions in a canine model of CR and indicate the presence of potentially causal relationships between nasal pathobionts and the development of nasal inflammation and ciliary dysfunction.

Diagnostic benefits of platelet-to-lymphocyte, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte, and albumin-to-globulin ratios in dogs with nasal cavity diseases

BACKGROUND

A multimodal approach for diagnostic tests under anesthesia is required to diagnose nasal cavity pathology (NP) reliably in dogs. Blood test results may provide clues to the suspected NP.

METHODS

This prospective blinded study assessed 72 dogs with chronic nasal discharge due to NPs, and 10 healthy dogs as the control group (CG). NPs were diagnosed using whole-body computed tomography (CT), upper airway endoscopy, examination of nasal mucosal swabs by bacterial and fungal culture, and histopathological examination of nasal mucosa biopsies. The exclusion criteria were the presence of any additional diseases or corticosteroid pre-treatment. In consideration of these exclusion criteria, 55 dogs entered the study. Dogs were classified into benign (benign tumors, idiopathic rhinitis (IR), and others) and malignant (carcinomas and sarcomas) NP groups. Blood count and blood chemistry tests were performed. The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and albumin-to-globulin ratio (AGR) were calculated and compared.

RESULTS

25 dogs with malignant NP (13 and 12 with carcinomas and sarcomas, respectively) and 30 dogs with benign NP (seven with benign tumors,13 with IR, and 10 others) were included. In general, in dogs with NP there were only slight abnormalities in complete blood count. However, PLR was significantly higher in dogs with malignant NP (carcinoma and sarcoma) than in those with benign NP and in the CG. Compared with the CG, the NLR was significantly increased in all dogs with NP, and the AGR was mild but significantly lower, except in dogs with sarcomas and benign tumors.

CONCLUSIONS

In dogs with nasal disease alone, there are usually no marked abnormalities in blood count. However, while mildly increased NLR and decreased AGR can be observed in almost all NPs, an increased PLR may indicate a malignant NP and can be used as an additional screening tool in dogs with nasal discharge due to nasal cavity pathology.

Construction of diagnostic prediction model for canine nasal diseases using less invasive examinations without anesthesia

Advanced imaging techniques under general anesthesia are frequently employed to achieve a definitive diagnosis of canine nasal diseases. However, these examinations may not be performed immediately in all cases. This study aimed to construct prediction models for canine nasal diseases using less-invasive examinations such as clinical signs and radiography. Dogs diagnosed with nasal disease between 2010 and 2020 were retrospectively investigated to construct a prediction model (Group M; GM), and dogs diagnosed between 2020 and 2021 were prospectively investigated to validate the efficacy (Group V; GV). Prediction models were created using two methods: manual (Model 1) and LASSO logistic regression analysis (Model 2). In total, 103 and 86 dogs were included in GM and GV, respectively. In Model 1, the sensitivity and specificity of neoplasia (NP) and sino-nasal aspergillosis (SNA) were 0.88 and 0.81 in GM and 0.92 and 0.78 in GV, respectively. Those of non-infectious rhinitis (NIR) and rhinitis secondary to dental disease (DD) were 0.78 and 0.88 in GM and 0.64 and 0.80 in GV, respectively. In Model 2, the sensitivity and specificity of NP and SNA were 0.93 and 1 in GM and 0.93 and 0.75 in GV, respectively. Those of NIR and DD were 0.96 and 0.89 in GM and 0.80 and 0.79 in GV, respectively. This study suggest that it is possible to create a prediction model using less-invasive examinations. Utilizing these predictive models may lead to appropriate general anesthesia examinations and treatment referrals.

Retrospective study of 1050 dogs with respiratory symptoms in Japan (2005-2020)

BACKGROUND

Few studies have investigated the incidence of respiratory diseases based on anatomical sites or the relationship between breed and these diseases.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of canine respiratory diseases among dogs in Japan, with relationship to the breed.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of dogs with respiratory symptoms and calculated the odds ratio (OR) to evaluate the relationship between breed and disease.

RESULTS

A total of 1050 dogs with respiratory symptoms were included in this study. Miniature dachshunds were the most common breed affected by respiratory diseases. Among tracheobronchial diseases, there was a significant association between some small breeds and tracheobronchial collapse, miniature dachshunds (OR: 4.44, 8.43, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.17-6.22, 4.33-16.0) and chronic bronchitis and bronchiectasis. Among nasal diseases, miniature dachshunds (OR: 27.2, 95% CI: 16.8-44.8) and golden retrievers (OR: 21.0, 95% CI: 6.43-69.3) were the most affected by non-infectious rhinitis and nasal aspergillosis, respectively. Brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome was the most common disease among pharyngeal and laryngeal diseases, with a relationship with breed being found in some brachycephalic breeds, and Pomeranians (OR: 2.7, 95% CI: 1.42-5.17).

CONCLUSIONS

Respiratory diseases in dogs are strongly correlated with popular breeds in Japan. Miniature dachshunds, in particular, are associated with many respiratory diseases, which may differ from international reports. Thus, this result may help in the early detection, prevention, treatment, and elucidation of the pathophysiology of canine respiratory diseases.

Feline lymphoplasmacytic rhinitis (FLPCR): Severity of inflammation correlates with reduced mucosal IgA expression

Feline lymphoplasmacytic rhinitis (FLPCR) is a rare disease with an unclear pathogenesis characterized by lymphoplasmacytic (LPC) inflammation and progressive tissue destruction. Aims were to evaluate specific FLPCR clinical and pathological features to gain insights into disease pathogenesis. Signalment, clinical signs, serology and 47 pin. h biopsies were retrospectively collected from 33 FLPCR and 3 normal cats. Microscopical lesions and immunohistochemistry results utilizing anti-CD3, anti-CD20, anti-FOXP3, anti-feline-IgA, IgG, IgE and anti-FeLV (p27 and gp70), FIV, FCV and, FHV were scored and most were analyzed statistically. The majority of cats were domestic short haired (26/31) with median age of 11 years and a 0.35 F/M ratio. Serology evidenced 3/22 FIV and 1/22 FeLV positive cats. Immunohistochemistry evidenced 1/33 FeLV-p27 positive cats. Common clinical signs were sneezing (19/24 [79 %]), mucous discharge (13/24 [54 %]) and stertor (10/24 [42 %]). In normal tissues, IgAs were expressed in mucin, apical and lateral cell membrane of columnar cells and in periglandular plasma cells. IgGs were expressed in 20-30 % of columnar cells. Number of clinical signs was statistically significantly higher in female cats (p < 0.0001) and was significantly correlated with chronicity (p = 0.004), and IgG scores (p = 0.01). LPC severity scores correlated positively with infiltration of neutrophils (p = 0.015), gland destruction (p = 0.019) and angiogenesis (p = 0.016) and negatively with fibrosis (p < 0.0001). LPC severity scores were also significantly associated to female sex (p = 0.01) and to IgA (p = 0.03), with higher IgA scores associated to lower LPC scores. FLPCR associated to disruption of mucosal defense mechanisms generating cycles of tissue inflammation, tissue damage and repair with progressive loss of function independent from viral infections.

Upper digestive tract abnormalities in dogs with chronic idiopathic lymphoplasmacytic rhinitis

BACKGROUND

Chronic idiopathic lymphoplasmacytic rhinitis (CILPR) is a common inflammatory disorder of unknown etiology affecting the nasal cavity of dogs. The diagnosis is made by exclusion of other causes of nasal disease and specific therapeutic protocols are lacking. In human medicine, a relationship between CILPR and gastrointestinal clinical signs has been postulated, and remission of respiratory signs after clinical trials with medications for gastrointestinal disorders has been observed.

OBJECTIVES

To describe history, clinical presentation, endoscopic and histopathologic concurrent respiratory and digestive tract abnormalities, and to evaluate improvement of respiratory signs after treatment for gastrointestinal signs.

ANIMALS

Twenty-five dogs with CILPR.

METHODS

Prospective study. For inclusion, following information had to be available: respiratory and digestive clinical signs, airway and digestive tract endoscopic abnormalities, histologic evaluation of respiratory and gastrointestinal tract biopsy specimens, and clinical response to different treatment strategies.

RESULTS

Twenty-two dogs had endoscopic gastrointestinal lesions, whereas 13 dogs had concurrent gastrointestinal signs. Most esophageal and duodenal endoscopic abnormalities were classified as moderate or severe. Respiratory and gastrointestinal tract histologic evaluation identified mostly chronic inflammation. Remission or marked improvement of respiratory signs was observed in the majority of dogs treated only for gastrointestinal signs up to 12 months after endoscopy. No significant associations between treatments and follow-up information were found.

CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE

Nasal and upper digestive tract abnormalities coexist in some dogs with CILPR. Lack of standardized therapeutic protocols suggests caution when interpreting improvement in nasal clinical signs. Additional studies are needed to explore the possibility of a cause-effect relationship between the 2 processes.

The evaluation of three treatment protocols using oral prednisone and oral meloxicam for therapy of canine idiopathic lymphoplasmacytic rhinitis: a pilot study

Background

Idiopathic lymphoplasmacytic rhinitis (LPR) is a common inflammatory disorder of the nasal cavity in dogs due to unknown etiology. It is characterised by non-specific clinical signs, including nasal discharge, epistaxis and breathing problems. Diagnosis is usually based on the histopathologic identification of infiltrating plasmocytes and lymphocytes in the nasal mucosa and the exclusion of other underlying diseases. Treatment strategies include glucocorticoids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics and antifungal medications. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of various therapeutic protocols for managing canine lymphoplasmacytic rhinitis based on the results of clinical, endoscopic and histological examinations, and to determine the relapse rate for LPR in dogs.

Twenty dogs of different breeds and both sexes, aged 1 to 14 years, were divided into four groups, each consisting of five dogs, including three experimental groups diagnosed with LPR and a control group.

The dogs from the first experimental group were administered prednisone orally at 1 mg/kg/day in the first 4 weeks and 0,5 mg/kg/day in the following 2 weeks. The second group of dogs was administered meloxicam orally at 0,1 mg/kg/day in the first 3 weeks, followed by prednisone at 1 mg/kg/day in the following 2 weeks and 0,5 mg/kg/day in the last week of the treatment. The dogs from the third experimental group were administered meloxicam orally at 0,1 mg/kg/day for 6 weeks. The control group of dogs was administered empty gelatin capsules (placebo) orally for 6 weeks. Clinical signs, endoscopic and histopathologic lesions were scored before and after treatment. Groups were compared using Chi- squared statistics in a 2 × 2 table for pre- versus post-treatment scores.

Results

Clinical signs persisted in the group treated with meloxicam and were mostly resolved in prednisone-treated dogs. However, endoscopic and histological changes were still observed in these two groups after treatment. The severity of all diagnostic features was reduced in the group treated with meloxicam for 3 weeks followed by prednisone for 3 weeks. The significant differences (p < 0.05) were noted between experimental and control groups. The dogs showed a statistically significant reduction in characteristics of the LPR before and after treatment, as measured by clinical signs (Group 1vs.4 p = 0.00, group 2 vs 4 p = 0.00, group 3 vs 4 p = 0,01), by endoscopy (1 vs 4 p = 0,01, 2 vs 4 p = 0,00, 3 vs 4 p = 0,03), and by histopathology (groups 1 vs 4 p = 0,00, 2 vs 4 p = 0,00, 3 vs 4 p = 0,03). The significant differences were noted between experimental groups, as measured by endoscopy (group 2vs 3 p = 0,04), and by relapse rate (groups 1 and 2 p = 0,03, groups 2 and 3 p = 0,01).

Conclusions

The three treatment protocols administered to dogs improved clinical, endoscopic and histological status. However, oral administration of meloxicam for 3 weeks, followed by prednisone for 3 weeks, appeared to be the most successful treatment. These patients remained asymptomatic for 6 months.