Novel Neutrophilic Parameters of the Sysmex XN-1000V for the Prediction of Inflammation in Dogs

TL;DR

This study explores new blood parameters from the Sysmex XN-1000V to detect inflammation in dogs, finding that NE-SFL is a strong indicator of inflammation severity.

Contribution

The study introduces and validates novel neutrophilic parameters (NE-SFL, NE-SSC) as effective, cost-efficient inflammation markers in veterinary medicine.

Findings

NE-SFL was significantly elevated in inflammatory conditions like sepsis and pyometra.

Manual correction was sometimes needed for accurate analysis in severe cases.

NE-SFL and NE-SSC showed promise as accessible markers for inflammation detection in dogs.

Abstract

In veterinary medicine, dogs often suffer from various inflammatory and non-inflammatory diseases. For effective case management, rapid diagnosis of any underlying inflammation is essential. Routine diagnostics include testing of different blood parameters, such as C-reactive protein or complete blood count. Novel neutrophilic parameters, like neutrophil side fluorescent light (NE-SFL), neutrophil side scattered light (NE-SSC) and neutrophil forward scattered light (NE-FSC) measured on the Sysmex XN-1000V are promising values for detection of inflammation in dogs. In the first part of this study, a control group of healthy dogs was established for the novel neutrophilic parameters. In the second part, the performance of these novel parameters was evaluated in inflammatory and non-inflammatory diseases. The study showed that these parameters can effectively differentiate between inflammatory and non-inflammatory conditions, with NE-SFL being the most consistent marker. It was strongly correlated with the severity of inflammation. However, manual corrections were sometimes needed for accurate analysis, especially in severe cases, which require trained staff with appropriate expertise. In conclusion, NE-SFL and NE-SSC demonstrated promising performance as novel, cost-effective markers of inflammation in dogs and may improve diagnosis of inflammation in veterinary practice.

Background: Inflammation is a common reason for dogs to present to veterinary clinics. Early diagnosis of systemic inflammation is important. Acute phase proteins, like C-reactive protein, are useful but not specific to infection. In human medicine, the intensive care infection score (ICIS) offers a faster, cost-effective alternative using advanced hematological parameters. While ICIS is not available for veterinary use, some components (e.g., neutrophil side fluorescent light) can be measured using analyzers like the Sysmex XN-1000V. Objectives: This study aimed to establish a control group of healthy dogs for the novel parameters neutrophil side fluorescent light (NE-SFL), neutrophil side scattered light (NE-SSC), and neutrophil forward scattered light (NE-FSC) and assess their utility in detecting inflammation in diseases such as sepsis, pyometra, steroid-responsive meningitis-arteritis (SRMA), and idiopathic epilepsy. Methods & Results: Value ranges were calculated based on 21 healthy dogs. Compared to controls, NE-SFL levels were significantly elevated in sepsis, pyometra, and SRMA, while NE-SSC was only elevated in sepsis and pyometra and NE-FSC only in sepsis. No increases were observed in idiopathic epilepsy. Manual gating of the white blood cell differential scattergram was necessary in samples showing high neutrophil toxicity and the presence of bands. Conclusion: NE-SFL and NE-SSC, obtainable from routine complete blood count, may serve as novel, accessible markers for inflammation in dogs. Further research is needed to validate their broader diagnostic use.

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