EVALUATION OF THE SENSITIVITY AND SPECIFICITY OF DIAGNOSTIC-CRITERIA FOR SEPSIS IN DOGS

Objective-To evaluate the ability of various individual criteria and g rouped criteria to diagnose sepsis in dogs. Study Design-Prospective a cquisition of clinical data. Animals or Sample Population-Client-owned dogs; 30 septic and 320 nonseptic. Methods-Rectal temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate, white blood cell (WBC) count with percent band s, platelet count, and serum glucose concentration were obtained on da y 0. True sepsis was determined on days 0 to 3 according to the follow ing criteria: (1) histological, microbiological, and/or gross confirma tion of infection, and (2) systemic illness caused by infection. Data were analyzed by the Mann-Whitney U test and multiple logistic regress ion. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated. Results-The mean tem perature, heart rate, WBC count, and percent bands were greater, where as the mean platelet count was less in septic compared with nonseptic dogs. There was no difference in respiratory rate or glucose concentra tion. WBC/bands were the best individual criterion for the diagnosis o f sepsis (sensitivity 87%; specificity 69%). The sensitivity and speci ficity of the grouped criteria (greater than or equal to two of four; temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate, WBC) varied according to ra nges of normal used. Muliple logistic regression resulted in little im provement in the sensitivity/specificity of these diagnostic criteria for the diagnosis of sepsis. Conclusions-These criteria are useful for the diagnosis of sepsis when limits are used that result in a high se nsitivity (eg, 97%). The high sensitivity was associated with a low fa lse-negative and a high false-positive rate; sepsis was overdiagnosed with these grouped criteria. Clinical Relevance-These criteria may be used for a sensitive, but nonspecific, diagnosis of sepsis in dogs. (C ) Copyright 1997 by The American College of Veterinary Surgeons.