Blood Leukocyte Ratios as Predictive Markers of Chronic Enteropathy Phenotypes in Cats

This retrospective study assessed the potential of blood leukocyte ratios as diagnostic biomarkers in cats with chronic enteropathies (CE). Absolute neutrophil-to-lymphocyte (NLR), neutrophil-to-monocyte (NMR), and lymphocyte-to-monocyte (LMR) ratios were calculated from the hematological profiles o...

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Main Authors: Alexandros O. Konstantinidis, Katerina K. Adamama-Moraitou, Ashley Griggs, Margaret L. Musser, Ariel S. Nenninger, Nektarios Soubasis, Dimitra Pardali, Mathios E. Mylonakis, Albert E. Jergens
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Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Veterinary Sciences
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2306-7381/12/7/613
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author Alexandros O. Konstantinidis
Katerina K. Adamama-Moraitou
Ashley Griggs
Margaret L. Musser
Ariel S. Nenninger
Nektarios Soubasis
Dimitra Pardali
Mathios E. Mylonakis
Albert E. Jergens
author_facet Alexandros O. Konstantinidis
Katerina K. Adamama-Moraitou
Ashley Griggs
Margaret L. Musser
Ariel S. Nenninger
Nektarios Soubasis
Dimitra Pardali
Mathios E. Mylonakis
Albert E. Jergens
author_sort Alexandros O. Konstantinidis
collection DOAJ
description This retrospective study assessed the potential of blood leukocyte ratios as diagnostic biomarkers in cats with chronic enteropathies (CE). Absolute neutrophil-to-lymphocyte (NLR), neutrophil-to-monocyte (NMR), and lymphocyte-to-monocyte (LMR) ratios were calculated from the hematological profiles of 221 cats, including healthy controls (<i>n</i> = 73), and those diagnosed with food-responsive enteropathy (FRE, <i>n</i> = 59), steroid-responsive enteropathy (SRE, <i>n</i> = 56), or small cell lymphoma (SCL, <i>n</i> = 33). SCL cats had higher NLRs than SRE (<i>p</i> = 0.002) and FRE (<i>p</i> = 0.028), and lower LMRs than SRE (<i>p</i> = 0.012) and FRE (<i>p</i> = 0.001). Healthy cats had lower NLRs compared to the FRE (<i>p</i> < 0.001), SRE (<i>p</i> < 0.001), and SCL (<i>p</i> < 0.001) cats and higher LMRs compared to the FRE (<i>p</i> < 0.001), SRE (<i>p</i> < 0.001), and SCL (<i>p</i> < 0.001) cats. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis demonstrated that NLR ≥ 11.6 differentiated SCL from SRE with 87.5% specificity but low sensitivity (39.4%). NMR ≥ 34.5 distinguished FRE from SRE with 52.5% sensitivity and 69.6% specificity. LMR ≥ 3.72 differentiated SRE from SCL with 67.9% sensitivity and 60.6% specificity. Although significant differences in leukocyte ratios were observed among groups, their diagnostic accuracy in differentiating CE phenotypes was suboptimal. These findings suggest that the utility of NLR, NMR, and LMR as standalone diagnostic tools is limited.
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spelling doaj-art-4b22be1246a94737a8acaef2e11401cf2025-08-20T03:32:28ZengMDPI AGVeterinary Sciences2306-73812025-06-0112761310.3390/vetsci12070613Blood Leukocyte Ratios as Predictive Markers of Chronic Enteropathy Phenotypes in CatsAlexandros O. Konstantinidis0Katerina K. Adamama-Moraitou1Ashley Griggs2Margaret L. Musser3Ariel S. Nenninger4Nektarios Soubasis5Dimitra Pardali6Mathios E. Mylonakis7Albert E. Jergens8Companion Animal Clinic, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54627 Thessaloniki, GreeceCompanion Animal Clinic, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54627 Thessaloniki, GreeceCollege of Liberal Arts and Science, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50014, USADepartment of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011-1250, USADepartment of Veterinary Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USACompanion Animal Clinic, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54627 Thessaloniki, GreeceDiagnostic Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54627 Thessaloniki, GreeceCompanion Animal Clinic, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54627 Thessaloniki, GreeceDepartment of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011-1250, USAThis retrospective study assessed the potential of blood leukocyte ratios as diagnostic biomarkers in cats with chronic enteropathies (CE). Absolute neutrophil-to-lymphocyte (NLR), neutrophil-to-monocyte (NMR), and lymphocyte-to-monocyte (LMR) ratios were calculated from the hematological profiles of 221 cats, including healthy controls (<i>n</i> = 73), and those diagnosed with food-responsive enteropathy (FRE, <i>n</i> = 59), steroid-responsive enteropathy (SRE, <i>n</i> = 56), or small cell lymphoma (SCL, <i>n</i> = 33). SCL cats had higher NLRs than SRE (<i>p</i> = 0.002) and FRE (<i>p</i> = 0.028), and lower LMRs than SRE (<i>p</i> = 0.012) and FRE (<i>p</i> = 0.001). Healthy cats had lower NLRs compared to the FRE (<i>p</i> < 0.001), SRE (<i>p</i> < 0.001), and SCL (<i>p</i> < 0.001) cats and higher LMRs compared to the FRE (<i>p</i> < 0.001), SRE (<i>p</i> < 0.001), and SCL (<i>p</i> < 0.001) cats. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis demonstrated that NLR ≥ 11.6 differentiated SCL from SRE with 87.5% specificity but low sensitivity (39.4%). NMR ≥ 34.5 distinguished FRE from SRE with 52.5% sensitivity and 69.6% specificity. LMR ≥ 3.72 differentiated SRE from SCL with 67.9% sensitivity and 60.6% specificity. Although significant differences in leukocyte ratios were observed among groups, their diagnostic accuracy in differentiating CE phenotypes was suboptimal. These findings suggest that the utility of NLR, NMR, and LMR as standalone diagnostic tools is limited.https://www.mdpi.com/2306-7381/12/7/613alimentary lymphomabiomarkerchronic enteropathyfelineinflammatory bowel diseaseleukocytes
spellingShingle Alexandros O. Konstantinidis
Katerina K. Adamama-Moraitou
Ashley Griggs
Margaret L. Musser
Ariel S. Nenninger
Nektarios Soubasis
Dimitra Pardali
Mathios E. Mylonakis
Albert E. Jergens
Blood Leukocyte Ratios as Predictive Markers of Chronic Enteropathy Phenotypes in Cats
Veterinary Sciences
alimentary lymphoma
biomarker
chronic enteropathy
feline
inflammatory bowel disease
leukocytes
title Blood Leukocyte Ratios as Predictive Markers of Chronic Enteropathy Phenotypes in Cats
title_full Blood Leukocyte Ratios as Predictive Markers of Chronic Enteropathy Phenotypes in Cats
title_fullStr Blood Leukocyte Ratios as Predictive Markers of Chronic Enteropathy Phenotypes in Cats
title_full_unstemmed Blood Leukocyte Ratios as Predictive Markers of Chronic Enteropathy Phenotypes in Cats
title_short Blood Leukocyte Ratios as Predictive Markers of Chronic Enteropathy Phenotypes in Cats
title_sort blood leukocyte ratios as predictive markers of chronic enteropathy phenotypes in cats
topic alimentary lymphoma
biomarker
chronic enteropathy
feline
inflammatory bowel disease
leukocytes
url https://www.mdpi.com/2306-7381/12/7/613
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