Correlation between canine IBD activity indices after stem cell therapy

DISPARITY between the magnitude of the clinical response, the endoscopic mucosal appearance and the histological reduction of gastrointestinal inflammation after conventional therapy in dogs with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a phenomenon commonly described (Willard and Mansell 2011). Although adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) have recently been demonstrated to improve clinical, endoscopic and histological signs of canine IBD (Perez-Merino and others 2015a, b), the agreement between the clinical response and the degree of mucosal healing after this new therapy has never been investigated and would indicate its true degree of effectiveness. Thus, the authors’ aim was to assess the correlation between clinical, endoscopic and histological activity in dogs with IBD treated with stem cells. Eleven dogs diagnosed with idiopathic IBD and treated with a single intravenous dose of thawed allogeneic ASCs at a target dose of 2×106 cells/kg bodyweight were included. Details about population data, and protocols for diagnosis, treatment and clinical, endoscopic and histological exams can be found in a previous study that showed the feasibility and efficacy of the therapy (Perez-Merino and others 2015a, b). Between 90 and 120 days post treatment, clinical, endoscopic and histological disease activities in this population were determined. The intensity of clinical signs was scored using the Clinical Inflammatory Bowel Disease Activity Index (CIBDAI) scoring system established by …