Diagnostic utility and validity of 1,2-o-dilauryl-rac-glycero-3-glutaric acid-(6'-methylresorufin) ester (DGGR) lipase activity in horses with colic.
Authors: Lanz S, Howard J, Gerber V, Peters L M
Journal: Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)
Summary
# Diagnostic utility of DGGR-lipase in equine colic: limited screening potential despite prognostic associations Pancreatitis biomarkers have proven valuable in small animal and human medicine, but their clinical applicability in horses remains poorly characterised. Lanz and colleagues examined whether DGGR-lipase activity—measured in plasma samples from 192 horses presenting with colic—could serve as a diagnostic or screening tool for underlying gastrointestinal pathology and outcome prediction. Elevated DGGR-lipase (above the upper reference limit) was found in just over 30% of colic cases, with significantly higher activity in large bowel displacement or torsion compared to impaction-type conditions; moreover, levels exceeding twice the upper reference limit correlated strongly with surgical intervention, strangulating lesions, and mortality. However, despite these associations, the test performed poorly to fairly as a diagnostic instrument, hampered by inadequate sensitivity and negative likelihood ratio values that limit its utility as a screening tool in clinical practice. Whilst DGGR-lipase elevation may support clinical suspicion of severe, strangulating disease and help inform prognosis, practitioners should not rely on this biomarker alone to differentiate colic types or guide treatment decisions, instead integrating it alongside traditional clinical evaluation, imaging, and laboratory parameters.
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Practical Takeaways
- •While elevated DGGR-lipase (>2x URL) correlates with surgical disease and worse outcomes in colicky horses, it cannot be relied upon as a standalone diagnostic or screening tool due to poor sensitivity
- •DGGR-lipase may have some prognostic value when markedly elevated (>2x URL), suggesting consideration of more aggressive treatment approaches, but normal values do not rule out serious disease
- •This biomarker should complement, not replace, clinical examination, imaging, and other diagnostic modalities in colic assessment
Key Findings
- •Increased DGGR-lipase activity was present in 30.2% of horses with colic, with 15.6% showing activity >2x upper reference limit
- •Large bowel displacement or torsion had significantly higher median DGGR-lipase activity compared to impaction or gastric disorders
- •DGGR-lipase activity >2x URL was significantly associated with surgical treatment, strangulating disease, and non-survival
- •DGGR-lipase demonstrated poor to fair diagnostic validity as a screening test due to poor sensitivity and poor negative likelihood ratio