Concentración de la proteína C reactiva como biomarcador de la severidad de la pancreatitis aguda en pacientes caninos (Canis Lupus Familiaris)

Abstract

Acute pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreas caused by the activation of enzymes that, under normal conditions, should be activated in the intestine. However, in this case, they become active within the pancreas itself. The objective of this study is to evaluate C-reactive protein (CRP) as a biomarker to determine the severity of acute pancreatitis (AP). This research was conducted in the city of Cuenca using dogs diagnosed with AP. Various diagnostic methods were employed, and samples were collected for CRP measurement at 0, 24, and 48 hours. At the same time intervals, the severity of the condition was objectively assessed. Based on the combination of these characteristics, pancreatitis was classified as mild, moderate, or severe. The results showed that patients with mild AP had low CRP levels (6.81 ± 2.79 mg/L), while those with moderate AP exhibited an increase in the mean CRP values (17.70 ± 5.35 mg/L), indicating a progressive inflammation of the canine pancreas. In contrast, patients with severe AP maintained elevated CRP levels (>30 mg/L). Statistically significant differences were found (p<0.001), indicating that the means were significantly ifferent across the severity grades of pancreatitis. Tukey’s test confirmed that all three severity levels were statistically distinct from one another. These findings demonstrate that CRP serves as a reliable biomarker for assessing the severity of the disease.