Urinary cystatin C and N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) as early biomarkers for renal disease in dogs with leishmaniosis

• Published in: Veterinary parasitology Vol. 318; p. 109930
• Main Authors: Ruiz, Patricia, Durán, Ángela, Duque, Francisco Javier, González, Mario Alberto, Cristóbal, José Ignacio, Nicolás, Paloma, Pérez-Merino, Eva María, Macías-García, Beatriz, Barrera, Rafael
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.06.2023
• Subjects: Acetylglucosaminidase - urine; Animals; Biomarkers; Canine leishmaniasis; Creatinine - urine; Cystatin C; Cystatin C - urine; Dog Diseases - diagnosis; Dogs; Kidney Diseases - diagnosis; Kidney Diseases - veterinary; Leishmania infantum; Leishmaniasis - veterinary; NAG; Biomarkers; Canine leishmaniasis; NAG; Cystatin C
• ISSN: 0304-4017; 1873-2550
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2023.109930

Canine leishmaniasis (CanL) is a disease caused by Leishmania infantum that can vary from a subclinical infection to a severe disease. Dogs affected with CanL present varying degrees of renal dysfunction. Unfortunately, traditional biomarkers such as urea and creatinine detect renal damage in advanced stages of the disease, so more accurate biomarkers are needed. Hence, we aimed to study how urinary cystatin C (CysC) and N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAG), behave in dogs with CanL at different stages of the disease. Eighty-six CanL infected dogs were classified according to LeishVet stages: LI (16 dogs), LIIa (12 dogs), LIIb (12 dogs), LIII (16 dogs) and LIV (30 dogs); as a control, 17 healthy dogs were studied. Blood samples were collected for complete haematological and biochemistry analysis including plasma cystatin C. Urine analysis included urine specific gravity (USG), urine protein to creatinine ratio (UPC), CysC and NAG expressed as a ratio with creatinine uCysCc (μg/g) and uNAGc (IU/g). The haematological, biochemical and urinary analysis coincided with the LeishVet guidelines. The statistical study of the uCysCc ratio and the uNAGc, showed significant increase when compared against control starting from group LI (p < 0.05). Interestingly, when the cut-off values were calculated using the ROC curve, uCysCc (258.85 µg/g) and uNAGc (2.25 IU/g) 75 % of the dogs included in LI groups surpassed the threshold. Hence our study indicates that uCysCc and uNAGc, could help to detect early renal damage in CanL affected dogs. •Dogs infected with Leishmania spp. present varying degrees of renal dysfunction.•Urinary Cystatin C and plasma Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin were studied.•Cut-off in urine was 258,8 µg/g for CysC and 2,25 UI/g for NAG in non-azotemic dogs.•Plasma CysC > 0,22 mg/l detected renal damage in azotemic dogs.