Vitamin D deficiency and inflammation in dogs with visceral leishmaniasisABSTRACT:
Low vitamin D (VitD) levels have been reported in dogs with visceral leishmaniasis (VL), suggesting a possible correlation. However, the relationship between hypovitaminosis D and inflammatory markers in these animals remains unclear. This study investigated whether VitD levels correlate with inflammation in dogs with VL. Twenty-four dogs were evaluated: eight healthy controls (control group, CG) and 16 VL-positive dogs (diseased group, DG). VitD, creatinine, albumin, C-reactive protein (CRP), and hemoglobin levels were measured and compared between groups using the Mann-Whitney test. The frequency of VitD deficiency was compared using Fisher’s exact test, and correlations between VitD and inflammatory markers (CRP, albumin, and hemoglobin) were assessed using Spearman’s correlation. The significance level was set at 0.05. All inflammatory markers differed significantly between groups. The DG showed a higher frequency of VitD deficiency (57.14%) compared to the CG (0%). However, no significant correlations were reported between VitD levels and the inflammatory markers evaluated. In conclusion, VitD deficiency is more frequent in dogs with VL; although, no association with inflammatory markers was established.
Key words:
vitamin D; visceral Leishmaniosis; dogs