Could homocysteine represent a negative acute phase reactant in canine infections-a pilot study?

Homocysteine (Hcy) was investigated as the biomarker of cardiac, renal, and gastrointestinal disorders in dogs. Data about low Hcy concentrations in the systemic inflammatory response syndrome raised a hypothesis that Hcy in dogs could be a negative acute-phase reactant. This survey compared Hcy concentrations, serum amyloid A (SAA), and the routine laboratory parameters between healthy (HD, N=6) and dogs with inflammation of different extent: mild (dirofilariosis (DIR), N=31), moderate (babesiosis (BAB), N=12), and severe (pyometra (PYO), N=8). The BAB and PYO groups had lower Hcy er than HD. Also, the levels in the PYO group were below those in the DIRO group. SAA had the inverse pattern. Across the groups, Hcy and SAA levels correlated negatively (ρ = -0.502, P