Determination of immunoglobulin A concentrations in the serum and cerebrospinal fluid of dogs: An estimation of its diagnostic value in canine steroid-responsive meningitis–arteritis

Previous studies on canine steroid-responsive meningitis–arteritis (SRMA) suggested that elevation of immunoglobulin A (IgA) concentrations in both serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is specific for SRMA throughout the different disease stages. Recent studies however have raised concerns about the value of this test. The purpose of this study was to investigate the diagnostic value of IgA concentration testing in paired CSF and serum samples. IgA concentrations of 525 paired canine CSF and serum samples were evaluated. Samples were obtained from dogs with SRMA (n = 311) and dogs with miscellaneous conditions (n = 214) such as other central nervous system (CNS) inflammatory diseases (n = 34), CNS tumours (n = 46), idiopathic epilepsy (n = 42), intervertebral disc disease (n = 46) and non-CNS diseases (n = 46). IgA concentrations were significantly higher in dogs with untreated SRMA compared to those with other diseases. IgA CSF concentrations were significantly higher in dogs with SRMA compared to other disease categories, with the exception of inflammatory CNS disease. The sensitivity for IgA concentrations in serum and CSF was 91% with a specificity of 78%. Analysis of 525 paired samples confirmed that IgA concentrations were higher in dogs with SRMA. Calculation of the diagnostic value of IgA concentration confirmed that the test is highly sensitive for SRMA. Testing paired CSF and serum samples for IgA is still recommended for the diagnosis of suspected cases of SRMA.