Why SDMA Testing Should Be Included in Wellness Cases
Wellness screening forms an essential part of veterinary medicine for one obvious yet significant reason: our pets can't tell us when they're ill. Screening diagnostics such as SDMA testing help to identify unknown health issues, confirm an animal's health status and establish a patient's baseline.
The kidneys play a critical role in blood pressure management, red blood cell production, hormonal balance, fluid and acid-base balance and toxin elimination. In addition to BUN and creatinine, SDMA (symmetric dimethylarginine) should be included in screening protocols to identify trends and changes in kidney function.
Including SDMA testing in every patient's wellness bloodwork can raise the level of care and confidence for all patients – not to mention detect a range of illnesses – in patients of all ages and health statuses. Here's how.
Why Is SDMA Important in Wellness Cases?
Put simply, wellness testing can reveal increased health risks in cats and dogs. During a routine wellness exam, diagnostics are extremely valuable for confirming health and establishing a patient baseline that allows for more individualised assessment should the patient become ill. They also provide early indications of patient-specific changes. When you have information about your patients' baseline levels, you can recognise slight changes that may indicate the start of a problem. This allows you to address and monitor the situation to ensure the condition is managed appropriately.
SDMA is a sensitive, reliable glomerular filtration rate (GFR) impairment indicator that enhances wellness screenings by improving detection of early changes in kidney function.1-5 A mild SDMA increase can be the first indication of renal dysfunction and should be investigated so that appropriate treatment can be started, if necessary. SDMA provides an earlier indicator of kidney function decline than other screening methods. As GFR declines, SDMA in dogs and cats increases with an average of 40% loss of kidney function and as little as 25% loss versus creatinine, which does not increase until 75% of kidney function is lost.1,2 Recognising these changes can also lead to the detection of other concurrent diseases.19,20 Early diagnosis and intervention may improve patient prognosis and outcomes.
Why Is SDMA Testing Important for Every Wellness Patient?
Pets are notorious for hiding illness, and many don't exhibit signs until their condition is advanced, which can make management difficult and negatively impact their prognosis. One study of more than 200,000 apparently healthy cats and dogs (consisting of a chemistry panel, complete blood count, SDMA testing, urinalysis and TT4 {in mature or elderly cats aged 7+ years}) found clinically relevant abnormalities at each life stage:
- Young adult: 1 in 7 dogs and 1 in 5 cats (aged 1 – 3 and 1 – 6 years respectively)
- Mature adult: 1 in 5 dogs and 1 in 3 cats (aged 4 – 8 and 7 – 9 years respectively)
- Elderly: 2 in 5 dogs and 3 in 5 cats (aged 9 and 10 years or older respectively)
A lack of clinical signs doesn't necessarily indicate good health, and testing for SDMA in cats, dogs and other pets is an easy, non-invasive way of assessing their kidney function. This minimally invasive screening tool is appropriate for all age groups and should be included in every patient's wellness protocol.
Which Patients Benefit Most From SDMA Testing?
All patients can benefit from a robust assessment of kidney function, because it is integral to systemic health. Abnormalities are most frequent in the following populations:
- Elderly pets: Elderly and geriatric cats and dogs are generally at higher risk of diseases, such as chronic kidney disease (CKD). Including SDMA testing in wellness diagnostic profiles can help uncover renal dysfunction earlier in this population.1,2
- Cats: Up to 20% of all cats and 30% of cats aged 10 years and above have CKD, even though they don't typically show outward clinical signs in the initial stages. Because CKD is highly prevalent in cats, specifically as they age, including SDMA in their wellness diagnostic profiles can help identify disease earlier. Early CKD detection is the first step towards appropriate intervention and successful management.3
- Preanaesthetic patients: Preanaesthetic diagnostics are important to detect conditions that could cause anaesthetic complications or compromise post-surgical healing and are sometimes included in wellness tests in preparation for a scheduled follow-up procedure (e.g. teeth cleaning). Renal dysfunction can lead to significant health complications in patients undergoing anaesthesia, and including SDMA in a preanaesthetic profile can improve kidney function assessment at a low cost.1-5 Testing for SDMA in dogs, cats and other animals can improve the recognition of at-risk patients, allowing for knowledgeable decisions regarding anaesthetic choices and timing. A mild SDMA increase may not require cancelling anaesthesia. If the patient's complete blood count and urinalysis are unremarkable, the procedure can go ahead, with the kidney profile, including SDMA, rechecked in five to seven days.
Including SDMA in your wellness screening bloodwork is essential to detect renal dysfunction as early as possible, so you can begin prompt treatment in affected patients and provide the best care for every pet you see.
References: https://www.thevetiverse.com/en/latest/sdma-references/
