Lack of evidence of a beneficial effect of azathioprine in dogs treated with prednisolone for idiopathic immune-mediated hemolytic anemia: a retrospective cohort study

Table 2 Results for laboratory tests and response categories for dogs with idiopathic IMHA treated according to the AP protocol (n = 149) or the P protocol (n = 73) group at the time of the first and second return visits and relapse

	Azathioprine-Prednisolone Protocol				Prednisolone Protocol
First return visit	Median	Range	n	Reference	Median	Range	n	Pb
Hematocrit (%)	0.35	0.06-0.5	93	42-57	0.36	0.12-0.47	41	0.5
Thrombocytes (x10⁹/L)	402	8-986	88	150-400	421	20-1555	29	0.48
Reticulocytes (%)	0.9	0.1-28	87	< 2	2	0.2-6.4	34	0.027*
Osmotic red cell fragility (mOsm/L)	176	136-258	82	< 162	164	125-247	24	0.06
Time after diagnosis ^g (days)	25	2-83	95		17	0-141	43	0.001*
Response category ^a	No. dogs		n		No. dogs		n	Pb
No response^c	3		95		1		26
Improvement^d	87		95		25		26
Complete recovery^e	5		95		0		26	0.92
Second return visit	Median	Range	n	Reference	Median	Range	n	Pb
Hematocrit (%)	0.4	0.11-0.54	66	42-57	0.42	0.18-0.51	24	0.38
Thrombocytes (x10⁹/L)	278	3-834	63	150-400	339	12-636	17	0.73
Reticulocytes (%)	0.8	0.1-12	60	< 2	1	0.3-9.7	18	0.39
Osmotic red cell fragility (mOsm/L)	163	133-238	58	< 162	165	142-206	11	0.40
Time after diagnosis ^g (days)	77	21-399	69		56	21-171	25	0.0032*
Response category ^a	No. dogs		n		No. dogs		n	Pb
No response	0		62		0		13
Improvement	42		62		12		13
Complete recovery	20		62		1		13	0.12
Relapse ^f	Median	Range	n	Reference	Median	Range	n	pb
Hematocrit (%)	0.28	0.06-0.44	17	42-57	0.31	0.10-0.41	5	0.96
Thrombocytes (x10⁹/L)	132	0-382	15	150-400	327	228-426	2	0.15
Reticulocytes (%)	2.5	0.1-22	14	< 2	0.3	0.2-30.5	3	0.9
Osmotic red cell fragility (mOsm/L)	212	159-274	12	< 162	221	187-254	2	0.65
Time after diagnosis^g (days)	112	32-1757	21		63	7-581	8	0.27

^aNumber of dogs counted in each response category.
^b P = P value
^c No effect of therapy was defined as no increase in the hematocrit.
^d Improvement was defined as an increase in hematocrit to < 0.36 L/L, or a hematocrit >0.36 L/L but with a positive Coombs' test or an increased osmotic red cell fragility.
^e Complete recovery was defined as an increase in the hematocrit to >0.36 L/L, a negative Coombs' test, and an osmotic red cell fragility within the reference range.
^f Relapse was defined as a decrease in the hematocrit after an initial improvement or complete recovery in combination with the recurrence of a positive Coombs' test or increased red cell fragility.
^g The times of the first and second return visits or when a relapse occurred were retrieved from the medical record.

ISSN: 1746-6148