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Home / Equine Research Bank / Acta Vet Scand / Detecting acute kidney injury in horses by measuring the con...
Acta veterinaria Scandinavica2021; 63(1); 3; doi: 10.1186/s13028-021-00568-0

Detecting acute kidney injury in horses by measuring the concentration of symmetric dimethylarginine in serum.

Abstract: Acute kidney injury (AKI) in horses may develop as a complication of a primary disease or following the administration of nephrotoxic drugs, and may pose a diagnostic challenge. Hence, the main objective of this study was to evaluate the concentrations and diagnostic significance of serum symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) and conventional renal dysfunction biomarkers in healthy horses, horses at risk of developing AKI, and horses with clinically evident AKI. A second aim was to assess how gastrointestinal disease and exposure to potentially nephrotoxic drugs affected SDMA levels. Thirty healthy horses, 30 horses with gastrointestinal disease and/or receiving phenylbutazone or gentamicin (risk group) and 11 horses with AKI were included in the study. Serum SDMA levels were measured using commercially available enzyme immunoassay tests. Results: SDMA levels in healthy horses, horses at risk of AKI and horses with AKI were 12 µg/dL (11-14), 12 µg/dL (11-13) and 20 µg/dL (20-37), respectively (all results presented as a median (quartile 1-quartile 3)). There was a significant difference in SDMA concentration between the healthy horses and those with AKI, whereas the SDMA levels in healthy horses and those at risk of AKI were comparable. A SDMA cut-off value of 19 µg/dL was established. Horses from the risk group had higher urine protein concentration and urine protein to creatinine ratio compared with healthy horses. Furthermore, horses with colic from the risk group presented with elevated urine γ-glutamyl transpeptidase to creatinine ratio. Conclusions: The SDMA cut-off value established in healthy horses was higher than previously reported. The SDMA level correlated with the azotaemia levels. Horses from the AKI risk group had normal SDMA levels but single urine parameters was abnormal indicating their higher sensitivity in assessing subclinical kidney dysfunction.
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Publication Date: 2021-01-15 PubMed ID: 33446216PubMed Central: PMC7809759DOI: 10.1186/s13028-021-00568-0Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research explores how measuring symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) in horses’ serum can help detect acute kidney injury (AKI). It compares this marker with other traditional ones and considers influences such as gastrointestinal disease and exposure to nephrotoxic drugs.

About the Study

  • The study involved 71 horses divided into three groups: healthy horses (30), horses at risk of developing AKI due to gastrointestinal disease or use of nephrotoxic drugs (30), and horses with clinically evident AKI (11).
  • It sought to measure and assess the diagnostic significance of the serum SDMA by comparing it to conventional renal dysfunction biomarkers in the three different groups of horses.
  • One of the other aims of the study was to evaluate how exposure to potentially harmful drugs or the presence of gastrointestinal disease affected the levels of SDMA in the horses.

Measurement Methods

  • SDMA levels in the horses’ serum were measured using commercially available enzyme immunoassay tests.
  • The researchers also compared urine protein concentration, urine protein to creatinine ratio, and urine γ-glutamyl transpeptidase to creatinine ratio among the different groups.

Findings of the Research

  • The study found a significant difference in SDMA concentration between the healthy horses and those with AKI.
  • No notable difference was observed between SDMA levels in healthy horses and those at risk of AKI.
  • A cut-off value of 19 µg/dL was established for SDMA, which is higher than previously reported values.
  • Interestingly, horses at risk of AKI had normal SDMA levels but showed abnormal single urine parameters, pointing to the possible higher sensitivity of these parameters in detecting early kidney dysfunction.

Conclusion

  • The study suggests that while the SDMA level can serve to differentiate healthy horses from those with AKI, it might not be sufficient to detect horses at risk of developing AKI.
  • Therefore, complementing SDMA level assessment with examination of urine parameters could potentially enhance the sensitivity of early detection for kidney problems in horses.

Cite This Article

APA
Siwinska N, Zak A, Paslawska U. (2021). Detecting acute kidney injury in horses by measuring the concentration of symmetric dimethylarginine in serum. Acta Vet Scand, 63(1), 3. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13028-021-00568-0

Publication

Acta veterinaria Scandinavica
ISSN: 1751-0147
NlmUniqueID: 0370400
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 63
Issue: 1
Pages: 3
PII: 3

Researcher Affiliations

Siwinska, Natalia
  • Department of Internal Medicine and Clinic of Diseases of Horses, Dogs and Cats, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, C.K. Norwida 25, 50-375, Wroclaw, Poland. natalia.siwinska@upwr.edu.pl.
Zak, Agnieszka
  • Department of Internal Medicine and Clinic of Diseases of Horses, Dogs and Cats, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, C.K. Norwida 25, 50-375, Wroclaw, Poland.
  • Department of Immunology, Pathophysiology and Veterinary Preventive Medicine, University of Environmental and Life Sciences, C.K. Norwida 25, 50-375, Wroclaw, Poland.
Paslawska, Urszula
  • Department of Internal Medicine and Clinic of Diseases of Horses, Dogs and Cats, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, C.K. Norwida 25, 50-375, Wroclaw, Poland.
  • Veterinary Institute, Faculty of Biological and Veterinary Sciences, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Torun ul. Gagarina 7, 87-100, Torun, Poland.

MeSH Terms

  • Acute Kidney Injury / diagnosis
  • Acute Kidney Injury / veterinary
  • Animals
  • Arginine / analogs & derivatives
  • Arginine / blood
  • Biomarkers / blood
  • Female
  • Horse Diseases / blood
  • Horse Diseases / diagnosis
  • Horses
  • Male
  • Predictive Value of Tests

Grant Funding

  • D220/0002/18 / Uniwersytet Przyrodniczy we Wroclawiu (PL)

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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Citations

This article has been cited 2 times.
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  2. van Galen G, Divers TJ, Savage V, Schott HC 2nd, Siwinska N. ECEIM consensus statement on equine kidney disease. J Vet Intern Med 2024 Jul-Aug;38(4):2008-2025.
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