Macri John D, Sparks Courtney, Anderson Zachary, Olby Natasha
Department of Clinical Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA.
Comparative Medicine Institute, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA.
J Vet Intern Med. 2025 May-Jun;39(3):e70105. doi: 10.1111/jvim.70105.
The biomarker Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide (CGRP) is elevated in human conditions associated with neuropathic pain, but has not yet been studied in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels (CKCS) with Chiari-like malformation (CM).
HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: Cavalier King Charles Spaniels with clinical signs of CMSM would have higher CSF concentrations of CGRP than asymptomatic CKCS. Our aim was to measure CSF CGRP concentrations in CKCS with and without clinical signs of CMSM.
Twenty-nine CKCS drawn from research and clinical cases underwent quantification of pain and scratching, a brain and spinal cord MRI, and lumbar CSF collection.
This was a prospective study with both normal and clinically affected CKCS recruited. The CSF concentration of CGRP (C-CGRP) was measured using an ELISA assay. Dogs were grouped by the presence of SM, pain, and scratching, and concentrations of C-CGRP were compared between groups using Wilcoxon Rank Sum. The concentration of C-CGRP, pain score, and SM diameter were evaluated using linear regression.
Concentration of C-CGRP was significantly higher in painful dogs (median 116.1, range: 11.6-238.3 pg/mL) as compared to non-painful dogs (median 77.7 pg/mL, range 0-266.2 pg/mL; p = 0.0124). No significant difference in C-CGRP concentration was noted between dogs with (median 99.3, range 0-226.6 pg/mL) and without (median 102.2, range 6.0-266.2 pg/mL) SM (p = 0.305).
Cerebrospinal fluid CGRP concentration is elevated in CKCS exhibiting pain regardless of the presence of SM. CGRP might contribute to neuropathic pain in CMSM and could be a target for therapeutic intervention.
生物标志物降钙素基因相关肽（CGRP）在与神经性疼痛相关的人类疾病中升高，但尚未在患有 Chiari 样畸形（CM）的骑士查理王小猎犬（CKCS）中进行研究。
假设/目的：有 CMSM 临床症状的骑士查理王小猎犬脑脊液中 CGRP 的浓度会高于无症状的 CKCS。我们的目的是测量有和没有 CMSM 临床症状的 CKCS 脑脊液中 CGRP 的浓度。
从研究和临床病例中选取的 29 只 CKCS 接受了疼痛和抓挠量化、脑和脊髓 MRI 以及腰椎脑脊液采集。
这是一项前瞻性研究，招募了正常和临床受影响的 CKCS。使用 ELISA 测定法测量脑脊液中 CGRP（C-CGRP）的浓度。根据是否存在脊髓空洞症（SM）、疼痛和抓挠对犬进行分组，并使用 Wilcoxon 秩和检验比较各组之间 C-CGRP 的浓度。使用线性回归评估 C-CGRP 的浓度、疼痛评分和 SM 直径。
与无疼痛的犬（中位数 77.7 pg/mL，范围 0 - 266.2 pg/mL；p = 0.0124）相比，疼痛犬的 C-CGRP 浓度显著更高（中位数 116.1，范围：11.6 - 238.3 pg/mL）。有 SM（中位数 99.3，范围 0 - 226.6 pg/mL）和无 SM（中位数 102.2，范围 6.0 - 266.2 pg/mL）的犬之间 C-CGRP 浓度无显著差异（p = 0.305）。
无论是否存在 SM，表现出疼痛的 CKCS 脑脊液中 CGRP 浓度都会升高。CGRP 可能导致 CMSM 中的神经性疼痛，并且可能成为治疗干预的靶点。
