N11 - Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio as a Potential Biomarker in Dogs with Idiopathic Epilepsy

Abstract:

Background: The platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) has been identified as a biomarker in various inflammatory diseases and has shown changes in human epilepsy patients. Hypothesis/

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic utility of PLR in dogs with idiopathic epilepsy (IE). Animals: This study included 46 dogs with IE, 24 dogs with hydrocephalus, 39 dogs with meningoencephalitis of unknown etiology (MUE), 17 dogs with brain tumors (BT), and 55 clinically healthy dogs.

Methods: This was a retrospective study. PLR was calculated using the formula: Platelet count (×10³/dL) ÷ Lymphocyte count (×10³/dL).

Results: The median PLR was significantly higher in IE dogs (132.3) compared to healthy dogs (94.92, P < .0001), but lower than in dogs with MUE (240.8, P < .0001), BT (246.5, P < .0001), and hydrocephalus (164.0, P < .005). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.74 for differentiating IE from healthy dogs, 0.78 for IE vs. structural brain diseases, and 0.84 for IE vs. structural brain diseases with seizures. The optimal PLR cutoff was 111.0 (P < .0001) to distinguish IE from healthy dogs (sensitivity 69.57%, specificity 76.36%), 161.9 to differentiate IE from structural brain diseases (sensitivity 76.09%, specificity 71.25%), and 167.7 to differentiate IE from structural brain diseases with seizures (sensitivity 81.63%, specificity 80.49%). Conclusions and Clinical Importance: PLR shows promise as a biomarker for diagnosing idiopathic epilepsy in dogs and distinguishing it from structural brain diseases and structural brain diseases with seizures.