Serum haptoglobin concentration and liver enzyme activity as indicators of systemic inflammatory response syndrome and survival of sick calves

BACKGROUND: Increased concentration of haptoglobin (Hp) in serum is associated with survival of critically ill humans and horses. High serum activity of liver‐derived enzyme is associated with sepsis in children and foals. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: Investigate whether admission serum Hp and glutamic dehydrogenase (GLDH) are associated with systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) and survival of sick calves. ANIMALS: One hundred two calves. METHODS: Retrospective cross‐sectional study. Electronic medical records from all calves <30 days of age admitted to a teaching hospital for 8 years were reviewed. The signalment, clinicopathological findings, the presence of SIRS, final diagnosis, hospitalization time and outcome were recorded. A Cox proportional hazard ratio (HzR) were calculated to assess the association between clinicopathological variables and survival to discharge. RESULTS: Serum Hp concentrations were similar between SIRS (0.29 g/L; range, 0.05‐3.6) and non‐SIRS calves (0.22 g/L; range, 0‐4.2; P = .62). GLDH activity was similar between SIRS (12 U/L; range, 1‐1025) and non‐SIRS calves (9 U/L; range, 2‐137; P = .2). Absent suckle reflex (HzR: 6.44, 95% CI: 1.44‐28.86), heart rate (HR) < 100 beats per minute (bpm; HzR: 12.2; 95% CI: 2.54‐58.62), HR > 140 bpm (HzR: 3.59, 95% CI: 1.05‐12.33), neutrophil count <1.7 × 10(9)/L (HzR: 7.36; 95% CI: 2.03‐26.66) and increased gamma‐glutamyl transferase activity (every 50‐unit, HzR: 1.12; 95% CI: 1.03‐1.21) were predictive of nonsurvival. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: The use of Hp and GLDH for prediction of survival in sick calves cannot be recommended at this time.