Canine Serum Amyloid A (SAA) Measured by Automated Latex Agglutination Turbidimetry Is Useful for Routine Sensitive and Specific Detection of Systemic Inflammation in a General Clinical Setting

Michelle B. CHRISTENSEN; Rebecca LANGHORN; Amelia GODDARD; Eva B. ANDREASEN; Elena MOLDAL; Asta TVARIJONAVICIUTE; Jolle KIRPENTEIJN; Sabrina JAKOBSEN; Frida PERSSON; Mads KJELGAARD-HANSEN

doi:10.1292/jvms.12-0404

Clinical Pathology

Canine Serum Amyloid A (SAA) Measured by Automated Latex Agglutination Turbidimetry Is Useful for Routine Sensitive and Specific Detection of Systemic Inflammation in a General Clinical Setting

Michelle B. CHRISTENSEN, Rebecca LANGHORN, Amelia GODDARD, Eva B. ANDREASEN, Elena MOLDAL, Asta TVARIJONAVICIUTE, Jolle KIRPENTEIJN, Sabrina JAKOBSEN, Frida PERSSON, Mads KJELGAARD-HANSEN

Author information

Michelle B. CHRISTENSEN
Department of Veterinary Clinical and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Ground Floor, 3 Groennegaardsvej, 1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
Rebecca LANGHORN
Department of Veterinary Clinical and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Ground Floor, 3 Groennegaardsvej, 1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
Amelia GODDARD
Department of Companion Animal Clinical Studies, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X04, Onderstepoort, 0110, Pretoria, South Africa
Eva B. ANDREASEN
Department of Veterinary Clinical and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Ground Floor, 3 Groennegaardsvej, 1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
Elena MOLDAL
Department of Companion Animal Sciences, Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, P.O. Box 8146 Dep. N-0033 Oslo, Norway
Asta TVARIJONAVICIUTE
Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, The Veterinary Faculty, Campus de Espinardo, University of Murcia, s/n 30100 Espinardo, Murcia, Spain
Jolle KIRPENTEIJN
Department of Clinical Sciences of Companion Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Utrecht, Yalelaan 108, 3384 CM Utrecht, Netherlands
Sabrina JAKOBSEN
Department of Veterinary Clinical and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Ground Floor, 3 Groennegaardsvej, 1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
Frida PERSSON
Department of Veterinary Clinical and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Ground Floor, 3 Groennegaardsvej, 1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
Mads KJELGAARD-HANSEN
Department of Veterinary Clinical and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Ground Floor, 3 Groennegaardsvej, 1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark

Keywords: canine, inflammation, veterinary clinical pathology

JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

2013 Volume 75 Issue 4 Pages 459-466

DOI https://doi.org/10.1292/jvms.12-0404

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Abstract

Canine serum amyloid A (SAA) is a useful diagnostic marker of systemic inflammation. A latex agglutination turbidimetric immunoassay (LAT) was validated for automated measurements. The aim of the study was to evaluate the clinical applicability of SAA measured by the LAT. SAA was measured in 7 groups of dogs with and without systemic inflammation (n=247). Overlap performance was investigated. Diagnostic performance was compared to body temperature and leukocyte markers. Clinical decision limits for SAA were estimated. In dogs with neurological, neoplastic or gastrointestinal disorders (n=143), it was investigated whether a higher proportion of SAA positive dogs could be detected in cases of complications with risk of systemic inflammation. Significantly higher concentrations of SAA were measured in dogs with (range [48.75; 5,032 mg/l]), compared to dogs without systemic inflammation [0; 56.4 mg/l]. SAA was a more sensitive and specific marker of systemic inflammation (area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve (AUC) 1.00), compared to body temperature (0.6) and segmented neutrophils (best performing leukocyte marker, 0.84). A clinical decision limit of 56.4 mg/l was established giving close to perfect discrimination between dogs with and without systemic inflammation. Higher proportions of SAA-positive dogs were observed in dogs with neurological, neoplastic and gastrointestinal disorders with complications known to increase risk of systemic inflammation, compared to uncomplicated cases. The automated LAT makes SAA applicable as a relevant diagnostic marker of systemic inflammation in dogs for routine random-access real-time use in a general clinical setting.

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