Canine prostatic specific esterase (CPSE) values in healthy and subclinical benign prostatic hyperplasia affected male dogs

Abstract

Introduction and aim. Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a condition frequently observed in older male dogs. Diagnosing BPH involves a multi-model approach that includes an assessment of clinical signs and history, rectal palpation, diagnostic imaging, and specific biomarkers such as canine prostatic specific enterase (CPSE) (1,2). Early diagnosis of BPH allows practitioners to offer appropriate recommendations and prognosis to dog owners. CPSE testing is considered a less invasive method compared to prostatic biopsy and is recommended for regular evaluation in intact male dogs (3,4). The aim of this study was to evaluate CPSE levels in dogs diagnosed with subclinical BPH in comparison to health male dogs, and to establish the threshold for this biomarker in terms of identifying BPH. Materials and methods. This study involved 65 intact male breeding dogs, divided into two groups. The healthy dog group consisted of 30 dogs with an average age of 3.3 years and an average weight of 39.8kg. The BPH-affected group comprised 35 male dogs with an average weight of 40.1 kg and an average age of 6.9 years. No over clinical signs of BPH were observed; diagnosis of BPH-affected dogs was based on alterations detected through rectal palpation, changes in ultrasound examinations, and elevated CPSE levels, as described by Cunto et al. and Alonge et. al. (3,4). CPSE values were measured using laser-induced fluorescence immunochromatographic assays (Speed-Reader, Virbac, France). Data analysis was performed using IMB SPSS Statistics 29.0.0.0 (241). A Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis was conducted to establish a cutoff value for CPSE, effectively distinguishing between subclinical BPH-affected and healthy male dogs. The analysis yielded an Area Under the Curve (AUC) of 1.00 (p<0.001). A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results. In the healthy dog group, the mean CPSE values were 38.85+-14.55 ng/mL. In contrast, the subclinical BPH-affected male dogs exhibited mean CPSE values exceeding 203.3+-90.39 ng/mL. The results of the ROC analysis indicated that a CPSE cutoff value of 82.56 ng/mL can reliably distinguish health dogs from those affected by subclinical BPH. Conclusion. CPSE is a recommended method for prostate gland screening programs. It serves as a reliable tool for identifying subclinical BPH based on specific values, enabling veterinarians to make informed decisions for subsequent recommendations. Additionally, the CPSE levels provide valuable information about the status of the prostate gland, which can be considered in future evaluations during regular check-ups.