Use of urinary γ-glutamyl transferase (GGT) to monitor the pattern of proteinuria in dogs with leishmaniasis treated with N-methylglucamine antimoniate. (August 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Paltrinieri, Saverio; Mangiagalli, Giulia; Ibba, Fabrizio
• Is Part Of: Research in veterinary science. Volume 119(2018)
• Page Start: 52
• Page End: 55
• Publication Date: 2018-08
• Subjects: Canine Leishmaniasis -- Proteinuria -- Chronic kidney disease -- Renal biomarker; Veterinary medicine -- Periodicals; Veterinary Medicine -- Periodicals; Médecine vétérinaire -- Périodiques; Médecine vétérinaire -- Recherche -- Périodiques; Diergeneeskunde; 636.089
• DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2018.05.014
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0034-5288

Abstract

Abstract: The aim of this study was to assess if the coupled analysis of the urinary protein to creatinine (UPC) ratio and of the GGT/UC ratio (the ratio between urinary γ-glutamyl transferase activity and urinary creatinine) may be used in treated leishmaniotic dogs to differentiate dogs with transient impairment of tubular function from dogs with persistent tubular damage. To this aim, 40 urine from 10 proteinuric and leishmaniotic dogs that at the first visit had high GGT/UC ratio, consistent with tubular damage, were collected and analyzed before treatments and 2, 4 and 6 weeks after treatment with N -methylglucamine antimoniate and allopurinol. Compared with pre-treatment values, at the end of the study period the UPC ratio decreased only in 5/10 dogs, which, however, were still proteinuric or borderline proteinuric. Conversely, the GGT/CU ratio decreased in 8/10 dogs and in 3 of them the values at the end of the study period were below the threshold consistent with tubular proteinuria. The GGT/UC values at 6 weeks was significantly lower than before treatment. However, transient increases were frequent for both the analytes. These results indicate that in most of the dogs that remain proteinuric after treatment, likely due to the persistent glomerular damage, the GGT/UC ratio tends to normalize. This suggests that in these dogs tubular proteinuria at admission depends on functional impairment of tubular cells likely due to the overflow of proteins from damaged glomeruli. However, tubular proteinuria occasionally persists, suggesting that tubulointerstitial damages persist even in dogs responsive to treatments. Highlights: Urinary GGT activity may be high in leishmaniotic dogs, due to a tubular injury. The high GGT/CU may depend also on a functional impairment of tubular cells. Leishmanicidal treatments may restore tubular function and decrease the GGT/CU. In this study the GGT/UC ratio decreased in 8/10 treated dogs. The GGT/UC ratio may differentiate dogs with permanent or transient tubular injury.