Concentrations of acute-phase proteins in dogs with steroid responsive meningitis-arteritis

Background: Measurement of concentrations of acute-phase proteins (APPs) is used as an aid in the diagnosis of a variety of diseases in animals. Objective: To determine the concentration of APPs in dogs with steroid responsive meningitis-arteritis (SRMA) and other neurologic diseases. Animals: One hundred and thirty-three dogs with neurologic diseases, 6 dogs with sepsis, and 8 healthy dogs were included in the study. Thirty-six dogs had SRMA (31 of which had monitoring), 14 dogs had other meningoencephalitides (ME), 32 had disk disease (IVDD/DLSS), 26 had tumors affecting the central nervous system (TCNS), and 25 had idiopathic epilepsy (IE). Methods: Prospective, observational study: C-reactive protein (CRP), alpha(2)-macroglobulin (AMG), and albumin concentrations were determined in the serum or plasma. CRP was also measured in the cerebrospinal fluid. Results: Serum CRP was significantly higher in dogs with SRMA ((x) over bar = 142 mu g/mL +/- 75) and sepsis ((x) over bar = 114 mu g/mL +/- 67) in comparison with dogs with other neurologic diseases ((x) over bar = 2.3-21 mu g/mL; P < .001). There was no significant difference detected in AMG between groups. Serum albumin concentration was significantly lower (P < .01) in dogs with SRMA ((x) over bar = 3.2 g/dL +/- 0.41) than in other groups ((x) over bar = 3.6-3.9 g/dL). Serum CRP concentration of SRMA dogs correlated with alkaline phosphatase levels (r = 0.515, P = .003). Conclusions and Clinical Importance: CRP concentrations in serum are useful in diagnosis of dogs with SRMA. Serum CRP could be used as a monitoring parameter in treatment management of these dogs.