Survival in dogs with meningoencephalomyelitis of unknown etiology
The prognosis of individual dogs with meningoencephalomyelitis of unknown etiology (MUE) remains difficult to predict. MUE cases with no lesions detected by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) occur, but it is unknown whether this finding is associated with prognosis. The primary goal of this retrospective study was to determine whether any difference in survival exists between MUE dogs with and without MRI lesions. Authors hypothesized that MUE cases without detectable lesions on MRI have a better outcome than cases with detectable lesions. The secondary goal of this research study was to investigate various other outcome measures, in addition to survival.
Dogs with a clinical diagnosis of MUE were identified by medical record search of Purdue University Veterinary Hospital from 2010 to 2020. MRI reports were reviewed for presence or absence of lesions consistent with MUE. Clinical findings at presentation, treatment, disease-specific survival, and outcomes including rates of remission and relapse were compared between cases with normal MRI or abnormal MRI.
Study included 73 client-owned dogs with MUE. Overall, 54 dogs (74%) were classified as abnormal MRI, and 19 dogs (26%) were classified as normal MRI cases. Death caused by MUE occurred in 1/19 (5%) normal MRI dogs and 18/54 (33%) abnormal MRI dogs (P = .016). Median survival was >107 months in both groups, but survival was significantly longer in the normal MRI group (P = .019). On multivariate analysis, abnormal MRI was significantly related to death (hazard ratio, 7.71; 95% confidence interval 1.03-58.00, P = .0470), whereas significant relationships with death were not identified for either the use of secondary immunosuppressive medications or cerebrospinal fluid nucleated cell count.
MUE dogs with no detectable lesions on MRI have reduced disease-related death compared with dogs with abnormal MRI. The presence or absence of MRI lesions in MUE dogs is prognostically relevant.
“Survival in dogs with meningoencephalomyelitis of unknown etiology with and without lesions detected by magnetic resonance imaging”. Arielle Ostrager, et al. J Vet Intern Med. 2024 May 28.
Source: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jvim.17109
Comments
Related Articles
Copyright © 2025 - All Rights Reserved
ISSN 2768-198X
List
Add
Please enter a comment