Urinary gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT) as a marker of tubular proteinuria in dogs with canine leishmaniasis, using sodium dodecylsulphate (SDS) electrophoresis as a reference method.
In order to assess if urinary g glutamyl transferase (GGT) identify tubular proteinuria in leishmaniotic dogs, the GGT/urinary creatinine (UC) ratio was calculated in 39 leishmaniotic dogs. According to sodium dodecylsulphate agarose gel electrophoresis, the dogs had albuminuria (A, n 10) glomerular (G, n 3) tubular (T, n 4) or mixed proteinuria (M, n 22) The median GGT/UC ratio was 0.3, 0.3, 2.2, and 7.5, in groups G, A, M, and T, respectively. Statistically significant differences were found between groups G and M (P 0.002) G and T (P <0.001) A and M (P <0.001) and A and T (P <0.001) Median values were higher in dogs with tubular components of proteinuria (M/T, 2.5) than in dogs without tubular components of proteinuria (A/G, 0.3) and in dogs with tubular proteinuria (T, 7.5) than in dogs with non tubular proteinuria (NT, 1.0) GGT/UC values >0.81 or >2.64 could identify dogs in the M/T or T groups, respectively. Therefore, GGT/UC might be useful for the management of leishmaniotic dogs.
Veterinary journal