Evaluation of C-reactive protein as an inflammatory marker in pemphigus foliaceus and superficial pyoderma in dogs and determine its potential for therapeutic monitoring

• Grant number: 13/16216-2
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: December 01, 2013
• End date: November 30, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Clinics and Surgery
• Principal Investigator: Carlos Eduardo Larsson
• Grantee: Carlos Eduardo Larsson
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Pemphigus of Cazenave simile is included in a group of autoimmune dermatoses vesicobullous skin and mucous recognized in some mammals, including dogs. Many authors believe that the pemphigus foliaceus (PF) is an autoimmune skin disease most commonly seen in dogs and cats. Many canine diseases can be included in the differential diagnosis of pemphigus foliaceus, mainly to superficial pyoderma. The C-reactive protein (CRP) is known as the major acute phase protein in dogs. In these specimens, the elevation of CRP has been observed in a wide variety of morbid conditions. The determination of CRP has been proposed as an inflammatory marker in some autoimmune diseases. Given the occurrence of increasingly frequent cases of pemphigus foliaceus and superficial pyoderma, we seek to identify other tools that allow to establish the differential diagnosis between the two diseases, and especially to determine, fast, less invasive, treatment response, evidence of relapse in progress and even prognosis.Objectives: To determine if the concentration of C-reactive protein is elevated in dogs with pemphigus foliaceus compared to animals with superficial pyoderma and see if after treatment its value should reduce. Therefore assess whether the CRP can be used as an inflammatory marker of pemphigus foliaceus.Animals: 10 animals with pemphigus foliaceus (PF), 20 animals with superficial pyoderma (PS) and 30 healthy dogs.Procedures: After the diagnosis of PF or PS, dogs will be subjected to specific treatment for each of morbid conditions. After initiation of therapy, the dogs will be followed clinically and laboratory for a period of ninety days. The evaluation of CRP will be held at fifteen, thirty, sixty and ninety days after the start of treatment, moments in which the values will be collated with the clinical process. In healthy animals, considered the control group, the concentration of CRP will be held at times zero, thirty, sixty and ninety days. Results: It is expected to find high concentrations of CRP in animals with pemphigus foliaceus front of the dogs with superficial pyoderma and after initiation of therapy and clinical improvement these values should reduce. (AU)