How to cite (Vancouver). Pérez-Sánchez AP, Perini-Perera S, Del-Angel-Caraza J, Quijano-Hernández IA. Correlation of renal function biomarkers in the first diagnostic approach to canine chronic kidney disease. Rev MVZ Cordoba. 2023; 27(1):e2782. https://doi.org/10.21897/rmvz.2782 2023; january-april. 28(1):e2782. https://doi.org/10.21897/rmvz.2782 Journal MVZ Cordoba Original ISSNL: 0122-0268 ©The Author(s) 2023. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons. org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/), lets others remix, tweak, and build upon your work non-commercially, as long as they credit you and license their new creations under the identical terms. Correlation of renal function biomarkers in the first diagnostic approach to canine chronic kidney disease Alicia Pamela Pérez-Sánchez 1 ; Sofía Perini-Perera 1 ; Javier Del-Angel-Caraza 1 * ; Israel Alejandro Quijano-Hernández 1 . 1 Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México. Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia. Hospital Veterinario para Pequeñas Especies, Toluca, México. *Correspondencia: dlangel@uaemex.mx Received: May 2022; Accepted: December 2022; Published: January 2023. ABSTRACT Objective. To determine the correlation of kidney function biomarkers at the first evaluation in dogs with different risk factors identified for developing chronic kidney disease (CKD). Materials and methods. A descriptive, prospective study of cases and controls of 388 animals, divided into five groups: control group (CG), and four groups of potentially kidney-diseased dogs (pCKD) was carried out. Clinical history, physical examination, body condition score (BCS), complete blood count, biochemical profile with symmetrical dimethylarginine (SDMA), urinalysis, urine protein/creatinine ratio (UPC), and systemic blood pressure were analyzed. Non-parametric statistics were used, and data were expressed as medians and percentiles; for BCS, Xi 2 was used. For biomarkers, Spearman’s correlation was performed. Results. For SDMA and serum creatinine (sCr), a moderate correlation was observed for pCKD (r=0.69, p<0.001). Significant differences were observed in the variables age (p=0.002) and BCS (p<0.001) between the CG and the pCKD. Animals with mild azotemia (sCr 125–250 mmol/L) and/or with an SDMA value of 18–35 mg/dL, with or without proteinuria, had a greater probability of presenting an increase in SDMA when the BCS was below 5/9 (OR=3.55, p=0.005). Conclusions. SDMA is a useful complementary biomarker in pre-azotemic stages and advanced stages where there is cachexia and sarcopenia. Biomarkers must be evaluated together to have a complete perspective of renal function in animals with risk factors for developing CKD. Keywords: Chronic kidney disease; comorbidities; creatinine; canine; renal function biomarker; symmetrical dimethylarginine (SDMA) (Source: ICYT Animal Biology). RESUMEN Objetivo. Determinar la correlación de los biomarcadores de funcionamiento renal en la primera evaluación en perros con diferentes factores de riesgo identificados para desarrollar enfermedad renal crónica (ERC). Materiales y métodos. Se realizó un estudio descriptivo, prospectivo de casos y controles de 388 animales, divididos en cinco grupos: grupo control (GC), y cuatro grupos de perros potencialmente enfermos renales (pERC). Se analizaron historia clínica, examen físico, condición corporal (CC), hemograma, perfil bioquímico con dimetilaginina simétrica (SDMA), urianálisis, ratio