Serum α(1)-Proteinase Inhibitor, Calprotectin, and S100A12 Concentrations in the Characterization of Pancreatitis in Dogs

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Pancreatitis in dogs is an inflammatory condition that can be acute or chronic and often leads to non-specific clinical signs, including nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. The Miniature Schnauzer is a breed with a predisposition to both pancreatitis and familial hypertriglyceridemia, and both conditions can affect each other. Successful treatment depends on reliable diagnosis as well as assessment of disease severity and prognosis, which are inherently difficult to assess upon initial presentation of the dog. Within this study, serum alpha(1)-proteinase inhibitor (α(1)PI; a marker of the systemic response to circulating proteases, which presumably have been released from the pancreas) and serum calprotectin and S100A12 (markers of systemic inflammation presumed to reflect an exaggerated local inflammatory response in the pancreas) were measured in 35 Miniature Schnauzers diagnosed with either a typical or an atypical presentation of pancreatitis assumed to reflect varying clinical severities. All serum markers were increased in dogs with pancreatitis, with serum α(1)PI accurately separating typically from atypically presenting dogs and a similar trend for the ratio of serum concentrations of calprotectin-to-S100A12. Thus, these markers might aid in staging disease severity in dogs with pancreatitis. ABSTRACT: Miniature Schnauzers are predisposed to develop pancreatitis, with familial hypertriglyceridemia (HTG) described as a potential risk factor. Diagnosing pancreatitis in dogs is based on the integration of serum canine-specific pancreatic lipase (cPLI) concentration, clinical presentation, and diagnostic imaging findings. However, markers of systemic inflammation and antiprotease activity have not been extensively investigated in the characterization and prognostication of pancreatitis in dogs. Serum concentrations of alpha(1)-proteinase inhibitor (α(1)PI; as a marker of systemic antiprotease response) and calprotectin and S100A12 (as markers of systemic inflammation) were measured in serum samples from 35 Miniature Schnauzers diagnosed with pancreatitis (serum cPLI concentration >400 μg/L, clinical signs, abdominal imaging findings). These markers were evaluated for possible associations with patient characteristics, clinical presentation, risk factors for pancreatitis, and outcome. The study showed that biomarkers of systemic inflammation and antiprotease activity are commonly increased in Miniature Schnauzers with pancreatitis. Whereas serum calprotectin and S100A12 concentrations were found to have limited utility in differentiating pancreatitis presentations, serum α(1)PI concentrations and potentially also the serum calprotectin-to-S100A12 ratio might be non-invasive surrogate markers of disease severity in dogs with pancreatitis.