J Vet Sci.  2012 Jun;13(2):179-185. 10.4142/jvs.2012.13.2.179.

C-reactive protein as an indicator of inflammatory responses to experimentally induced cystitis in dogs

• Seo KW
• Lee JB
• Ahn JO
• Lee HW
• Hwang CY
• Youn HY
• Lee CW

• KMID: 1376192
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4142/jvs.2012.13.2.179

Abstract

The aim of this study was to demonstrate and assess C-reactive protein (CRP) changes in dogs with induced bacterial cystitis with or without antibiotics. We also evaluated availability of CRP levels to serve as an indicator for monitoring or diagnosing bacterial cystitis. Serial CRP concentrations in dogs with induced bacterial cystitis were higher than those of controls (p < 0.001). CRP concentrations peaked on day 7 and gradually decreased thereafter. In the treatment group, CRP concentrations decreased after medication compared to the untreated group (p = 0.032). CRP levels had a linear correlation with urine white blood cell counts among all groups (r = 0.837, p < 0.001, n = 140). Compared to the negative urine culture group, dogs with positive urine culture results had higher CRP concentrations (median 43.8 mg/L vs. 5.9 mg/L; p < 0.001). Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.955; when cut-off value was 12.2 mg/L, CRP measurements were found to have a sensitivity of 92.3% and specificity of 86.4%. This result indicates that rapid increases of CRP occurred after inducing bacterial cystitis and CRP may be a useful indicator for monitoring or diagnosing canine bacterial cystitis together with sediment urinalysis and urine bacterial culture.

Keyword

bacterial cystitis; C-reactive protein; dog; Proteus mirabilis; urine WBC

MeSH Terms

Amoxicillin-Potassium Clavulanate Combination/therapeutic use
Animals
Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use
C-Reactive Protein/genetics/*metabolism
Cystitis/metabolism/*veterinary
Dogs
Gene Expression Regulation/*physiology
Inflammation/*metabolism
Male
Proteus Infections/drug therapy/metabolism/microbiology/*veterinary
Proteus mirabilis

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Positive urine culture results of group 3 and group 4. Note that negative results appeared on day 13 after 10 days of antibiotic treatment in group 4.

• 

  Fig. 2 Serum C-reactive protein (CRP) distribution in the negative and positive urine culture group. There was little overlap between two groups. The median values of each group were 43.8 mg/L (range: 9.4~233.4 mg/L) vs. 5.9 mg/L (range: 4.2~76.5 mg/L) respectively.

• 

  Fig. 3 Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for the CRP measurement. The area under the curve was 0.955. Considering 12.2 mg/L of cut-off value, CRP measurement had sensitivity of 92.3%, specificity of 86.4%, positive predictive value of 80%, and negative predictive value of 94%.

• 

  Fig. 4 Ultrasonographic appearance of urinary bladder (UB) wall of group 3 (no treatment) on day 21. Even though the dog had bacterial cystitis, the morphology of UB wall was mildly thickened compared to dogs without cystitis.

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