Correlation of clinical, diagnostic and histopathological parameters in dogs with chronic lymphocytic-plasmacytic enteropathy

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to correlate clinical signs and diagnostic parameters with duodenal inflammatory and architectural changes in dogs with lymphocytic-plasmacytic enteropathy.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: In a retrospective study dogs presented between 2003 and 2014 with chronic gastrointestinal signs (duration > 3 weeks) and histologic evidence of intestinal lymphocytic-plasmacytic inflammation were evaluated. Clinical signs, serum albumin, cobalamin and folic acid concentrations were recorded and a sonographic, endoscopic, histologic and cytological inflammatory score was determined. Furthermore, the presence of lacteal dilation, villus stunting, crypt lesions, epithelial integrity and increased intraepithelial lympho cytes was evaluated.

RESULTS: A total of 270 dogs were retrospectively evaluated. No significant correlation was found between clinical signs and sonographic, endoscopic or duodenal inflammatory score. Dogs with histological signs of lacteal dilation (p = 0.001) and increased intraepithelial lymphocytes (p = 0.005) had significantly higher clinical scores compared to dogs without these changes. No correlation was found between clinical score and villous stunting or crypt lesions. Hypoalbuminemia and hypocobalaminemia correlated significantly with lacteal dilation (p = 0.001, p = 0.009) and increased intraepithelial lymphocytes (p = 0.036, p = 0.018).

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Some clinical and diagnostic parameter correlate with histopathologic features whereas others do not. Morphological features seem to be more important than the intensity of the duodenal inflammation in the assessment of the disease.