Serum Trimethylamine N-Oxide as a Diagnostic and Prognostic Biomarker in Dogs with Chronic Kidney Disease: A Pilot Study
Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) is known to increase in human cardiovascular, metabolic, and renal diseases. In human medicine, TMAO has recently been utilized as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for renal dysfunction, and research is ongoing regarding its potential as a therapeutic target. This...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Animals |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/15/2170 |
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| Summary: | Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) is known to increase in human cardiovascular, metabolic, and renal diseases. In human medicine, TMAO has recently been utilized as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for renal dysfunction, and research is ongoing regarding its potential as a therapeutic target. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic potential of TMAO as a supportive biomarker in dogs with chronic kidney disease (CKD). To assess its diagnostic utility, TMAO concentrations were compared between a CKD group (<i>n</i> = 32) and a healthy control group (<i>n</i> = 32). In addition, patients with CKD were subdivided into stages 2 (<i>n</i> = 12), 3 (<i>n</i> = 11), and 4 (<i>n</i> = 9) and compared individually with the healthy controls. For prognostic evaluation, the CKD group was monitored over six months, and the TMAO levels were compared between survivors (<i>n</i> = 18) and non-survivors (<i>n</i> = 14). The TMAO concentrations showed a highly significant difference between patients with CKD and healthy controls (<i>p</i> < 0.0001). Patients with each different CKD stage exhibited statistically significant differences compared with the healthy controls (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Furthermore, the median TMAO levels tended to increase with advancing CKD stage; however, the differences among stages were not statistically significant. In addition, within the CKD group, TMAO concentrations were significantly higher in non-survivors than in survivors at the six-month follow-up (<i>p</i> = 0.0142). This pilot study highlights the potential of TMAO as a supportive renal biomarker for diagnostic and prognostic evaluation in canine CKD. |
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| ISSN: | 2076-2615 |