Screening diagnostics to identify triggers in 21 cases of steroid‐responsive meningitis‐arteritis

• Published in: Journal of small animal practice 2013-11, Vol.54 (11), p.575-578
• Main Authors: Rose, J. H, Harcourt‐Brown, T. R
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adrenal Cortex Hormones - therapeutic use; Alanine transaminase; alkaline phosphatase; Anemia, Hemolytic - diagnosis; Anemia, Hemolytic - veterinary; Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents - therapeutic use; Arteritis - diagnosis; Arteritis - drug therapy; Arteritis - etiology; Arteritis - veterinary; blood; calcium; Dog Diseases - diagnosis; Dog Diseases - drug therapy; Dog Diseases - etiology; Dogs; Female; hemolytic anemia; hypercholesterolemia; Infection - complications; Infection - veterinary; Male; Medical research; Meningitis; Meningitis - diagnosis; Meningitis - drug therapy; Meningitis - etiology; Meningitis - veterinary; Neoplasms - complications; Neoplasms - veterinary; radiography; Retrospective Studies; screening; thorax; Ultrasonic imaging; ultrasonics; urea; urinalysis; urine
• ISSN: 0022-4510; 1748-5827
• DOI: 10.1111/jsap.12143

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate whether screening tests used to identify infectious and neoplastic triggers for immune‐mediated haemolytic anaemia, in particular a complete blood count and differential, serum biochemistry profile, urine analysis (including culture), abdominal ultrasound and thoracic radiographs, can identify triggers for steroid‐responsive meningitis‐arteritis. METHODS: Retrospective descriptive review. RESULTS: Twenty‐one steroid‐responsive meningitis‐arteritis cases were identified in which all screening tests had been performed. All cases had changes in complete blood count (including neutrophilia, monocytosis, lymphocytosis, eosinopenia or anaemia); 19 had changes in biochemistry (including hypoalbuminaemia, hyperglobulinaemia, increased alkaline phosphatase activity, hyperphosphataemia, increased total calcium concentration, hypercholesterolaemia, hyperkalaemia, increased urea concentration and increased alanine aminotransferase activity); two cases had an elevated urine protein to creatinine ratio but none had positive urine culture results; no cases had abnormalities on orthogonal radiographs of the thorax; four cases had abnormalities identified on abdominal ultrasound, which following cytological examination suggested inflammation in the absence of pathological organisms. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Screening tests used to identify infectious and neoplastic triggers in immune‐mediated haemolytic anaemia did not isolate triggers for steroid‐responsive meningitis‐arteritis in the population of dogs under investigation.