Sara Clemente Oliveira, Carolina Arenas, Marina Domínguez-Ruiz, Eva Prosper, Maria Joana Dias, Rodolfo Oliveira Leal
{"title":"Characterisation and evaluation of predisposing factors for the development of xanthinuria in dogs with leishmaniosis under allopurinol therapy.","authors":"Sara Clemente Oliveira, Carolina Arenas, Marina Domínguez-Ruiz, Eva Prosper, Maria Joana Dias, Rodolfo Oliveira Leal","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06731-0","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Allopurinol, one of the drugs routinely used to treat canine leishmaniosis (CanL), is an inhibitor of the enzyme xanthine oxidase, which plays a fundamental role in purine metabolism. Its inhibitory action on this enzyme leads to a state of hyperxanthinuria, favouring the development of xanthine crystals and/or uroliths. However, not all dogs with CanL treated with allopurinol develop xanthinuria and/or xanthine uroliths, and there is not much information on the possible risk factors that contribute to this event. This study aims to evaluate potential predisposing factors associated with the development of xanthinuria in dogs with a previous diagnosis of CanL that were treated with allopurinol.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A multicentric, retrospective, observational study was conducted and included dogs with CanL undergoing allopurinol therapy. Dogs that developed xanthinuria (Xgroup) and those without xanthinuria (NXgroup) were selected from cases admitted to three referral hospitals between 2011 and 2022. Medical records were reviewed, and clinical and laboratorial variables were compared between groups. Descriptive statistics, contingency tables and non-parametric tests were used (P < 0.05).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In total, 90 dogs were selected, 45 for each group. Only age and serum alpha-1 globulin concentration were significantly different between groups at day 0. Dogs from Xgroup were younger (median 4 years; interquartile range (IQR) 2-7) than those from NXgroup (median 6 years; IQR 4-9; P = 0.002). At the time of CanL diagnosis, a higher percentage of dogs from NXgroup had decreased serum alpha-1 globulin concentrations (38.9% versus 13.3% in Xgroup, respectively; P = 0.020). In Xgroup, the median time to xanthinuria development after starting allopurinol was 150 days (IQR 31-455).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>These results suggest that closer monitoring of young dogs (< 4 years) and those with normal alpha-1 globulin levels at diagnosis is recommended to ascertain the possible development of xanthinuria at an early stage, allowing for early application of measures to reduce the likelihood of its development.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"98"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0000,"publicationDate":"2025-03-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11895311/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Parasites & Vectors","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-025-06731-0","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"PARASITOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background: Allopurinol, one of the drugs routinely used to treat canine leishmaniosis (CanL), is an inhibitor of the enzyme xanthine oxidase, which plays a fundamental role in purine metabolism. Its inhibitory action on this enzyme leads to a state of hyperxanthinuria, favouring the development of xanthine crystals and/or uroliths. However, not all dogs with CanL treated with allopurinol develop xanthinuria and/or xanthine uroliths, and there is not much information on the possible risk factors that contribute to this event. This study aims to evaluate potential predisposing factors associated with the development of xanthinuria in dogs with a previous diagnosis of CanL that were treated with allopurinol.
Methods: A multicentric, retrospective, observational study was conducted and included dogs with CanL undergoing allopurinol therapy. Dogs that developed xanthinuria (Xgroup) and those without xanthinuria (NXgroup) were selected from cases admitted to three referral hospitals between 2011 and 2022. Medical records were reviewed, and clinical and laboratorial variables were compared between groups. Descriptive statistics, contingency tables and non-parametric tests were used (P < 0.05).
Results: In total, 90 dogs were selected, 45 for each group. Only age and serum alpha-1 globulin concentration were significantly different between groups at day 0. Dogs from Xgroup were younger (median 4 years; interquartile range (IQR) 2-7) than those from NXgroup (median 6 years; IQR 4-9; P = 0.002). At the time of CanL diagnosis, a higher percentage of dogs from NXgroup had decreased serum alpha-1 globulin concentrations (38.9% versus 13.3% in Xgroup, respectively; P = 0.020). In Xgroup, the median time to xanthinuria development after starting allopurinol was 150 days (IQR 31-455).
Conclusions: These results suggest that closer monitoring of young dogs (< 4 years) and those with normal alpha-1 globulin levels at diagnosis is recommended to ascertain the possible development of xanthinuria at an early stage, allowing for early application of measures to reduce the likelihood of its development.
期刊介绍:
Parasites & Vectors is an open access, peer-reviewed online journal dealing with the biology of parasites, parasitic diseases, intermediate hosts, vectors and vector-borne pathogens. Manuscripts published in this journal will be available to all worldwide, with no barriers to access, immediately following acceptance. However, authors retain the copyright of their material and may use it, or distribute it, as they wish.
Manuscripts on all aspects of the basic and applied biology of parasites, intermediate hosts, vectors and vector-borne pathogens will be considered. In addition to the traditional and well-established areas of science in these fields, we also aim to provide a vehicle for publication of the rapidly developing resources and technology in parasite, intermediate host and vector genomics and their impacts on biological research. We are able to publish large datasets and extensive results, frequently associated with genomic and post-genomic technologies, which are not readily accommodated in traditional journals. Manuscripts addressing broader issues, for example economics, social sciences and global climate change in relation to parasites, vectors and disease control, are also welcomed.