Dausend Nicole, Cosgrove Evan J, Giaretta Paula R, Kass Philip H, Freiche Valerie, Marsilio Sina
School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA.
J Feline Med Surg. 2025 Jul;27(7):1098612X251338174. doi: 10.1177/1098612X251338174. Epub 2025 Jul 22.
ObjectivesThis study aimed to develop a quantitative scoring method for the evaluation of mucosal fibrosis (MF) and assess its correlation with World Small Animal Veterinary Association scores, clinical abnormalities, disease severity, diagnosis and outcome in cats with lymphoplasmacytic enteritis (LPE) or low-grade intestinal T-cell lymphoma (LGITL).MethodsFormalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded small intestinal biopsy specimens from 13 cats with LPE and 14 cats with LGITL were included. MF was quantitatively measured in three separate areas (villi, apical crypts [ACs] and basal crypts) using an image processing program. The fractional fibrotic area (%FFA) was calculated based on the mean fibrosis scores in five representative fields. MF was also scored by a single board-certified pathologist on sequential slides stained with either hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) or Masson's trichrome (MT) on a four-point scale in the areas described above. Statistical analysis was performed to assess the correlation between clinical and pathological variables, diagnosis and outcome.ResultsThe %FFA scores correlated well with fibrosis scores on MT stains ( = 0.52, = 0.01) but did not correlate with H&E stains ( = 0.29, = 0.14). The %FFA in the villi and AC area was negatively correlated with a modified Feline Chronic Enteropathy Activity Index in cats with LGITL ( = -0.57, = 0.04). A histopathologic diagnosis of LPE showed a weak correlation with MF in the AC area ( = 0.38, = 0.05). The survival time of cats with chronic enteropathy (CE) was weakly negatively correlated with MF ( = -0.38, = 0.05).Conclusions and relevanceMF is more effectively assessed using MT staining compared with H&E staining alone. Increased MF in the AC region may indicate a diagnosis of LPE. Although increased MF did not correlate with increased disease activity, it appears to be a negative prognostic factor for survival in cats with CE.
目的
本研究旨在开发一种用于评估黏膜纤维化（MF）的定量评分方法，并评估其与世界小动物兽医协会评分、临床异常、疾病严重程度、猫淋巴细胞性浆细胞性肠炎（LPE）或低度肠T细胞淋巴瘤（LGITL）的诊断及预后的相关性。
方法
纳入13只患有LPE的猫和14只患有LGITL的猫的福尔马林固定、石蜡包埋的小肠活检标本。使用图像处理程序在三个不同区域（绒毛、顶端隐窝[ACs]和基底隐窝）对MF进行定量测量。基于五个代表性视野中的平均纤维化评分计算纤维化面积分数（%FFA）。一名获得委员会认证的病理学家也对上述区域中用苏木精和伊红（H&E）或马松三色染色法（MT）染色的连续切片上的MF进行四分制评分。进行统计分析以评估临床和病理变量、诊断及预后之间的相关性。
结果
%FFA评分与MT染色的纤维化评分相关性良好（r = 0.52，P = 0.01），但与H&E染色不相关（r = 0.29，P = 0.14）。LGITL猫的绒毛和AC区域中的%FFA与改良的猫慢性肠病活动指数呈负相关（r = -0.57，P = 0.04）。LPE的组织病理学诊断与AC区域中的MF呈弱相关性（r = 0.38，P = 0.05）。慢性肠病（CE）猫的生存时间与MF呈弱负相关（r = -0.38，P = 0.05）。
结论及意义
与单独使用H&E染色相比，使用MT染色能更有效地评估MF。AC区域中MF增加可能提示LPE的诊断。虽然MF增加与疾病活动增加不相关，但它似乎是CE猫生存的负性预后因素。
