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- Author or Editor: Charlene Vallance x
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Abstract
Objective—To validate a nonautomated technique for the measurement of urinary N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) activity in cats and assess the correlation between NAG index, plasma creatinine concentration, and proteinuria.
Animals—197 client-owned cats (≥ 9 years old; 119 neutered males and 78 neutered females) of which 103 had previously been determined to have chronic kidney disease (CKD).
Procedures—Preliminary assay validation was performed for a nonautomated colorimetric technique for quantification of NAG activity. The effect of storage of samples was examined. A cross-sectional study was performed to assess urinary NAG index in cats with variable plasma creatinine concentrations and with proteinuria, as quantified by use of the urine protein-to-creatinine ratio (UP:C).
Results—Interassay coefficients of variance (CVs) in cats with low (mean, 0.64 U/L), medium (mean, 4.38.U/L), and high (mean, 8.48 U/L) urine NAG activity were 25.9%, 14.4%, and 25.1%, respectively, but intra-assay CVs were < 20%. Urine NAG activity was stable for 4 freeze-thaw cycles and for storage at −20°C. There was no significant difference in log NAG index when cats (n = 197) were grouped according to plasma creatinine concentration, but a moderate positive correlation was found between log NAG index and log UP:C (r 2 = 0.259).
Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase activity can be quantified in feline urine by use of a nonautomated colorimetric technique. However, data should be interpreted cautiously because of high interassay CVs. The NAG index in cats with CKD may be indicative of ongoing lysosomal activity rather than active proximal tubular cell damage.
Abstract
Objective—To evaluate the between- and within-dog repeatability of a flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD) measurement technique in healthy dogs.
Animals—43 male and female dogs of various breeds (weight range, 6.9 to 31.7 kg; age range, 11 months to 11 years).
Procedures—5 dogs were used to refine the technique; other dogs were classified as large (> 15 kg) or small (≥ 15 kg) before use in the main study. In each dog, a brachial artery was occluded for 5 minutes by inflating a blood pressure cuff (applied pressure was more than 50 mm Hg greater than that required to occlude flow). Two-dimensional ultrasonographic images of the artery were recorded during a 30-second period prior to cuff inflation (baseline) and during a 3-minute period after cuff deflation by each of 2 sonographers. Relative percentage increases in luminal size from baseline (ie, FMD) were calculated. Independent contributing factors to FMD (eg, body weight, age, and room temperature) were assessed.
Results—Median FMD was significantly greater in small dogs (77%; range, 0% to 19.3%) than it was in large dogs (2.2%; range, −2.2% to 10.6%); values were significantly greater in dogs < 6 years old, compared with dogs > 6 years old. Weight was the only independent contributing factor for FMD. Coefficients of variation for between- and within-dog repeatability were 99.7% and 62.8%, respectively.
Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Application of the FMD measurement technique used in humans appears to be feasible in dogs and may provide a means of assessing canine endothelial function, although between and within-dog variations were large. (Am J Vet Res 2010;71:1154–1161)
