Grant winner Rufiya Karimova studies etiology of heart and kidney pathologies in pets

Professor Karimova’s project is titled ‘Hyperhomocysteinemia in heart and kidney pathologies in domestic animals’ and is supported by the Russian Science Foundation.

According to her, chronic heart failure and chronic kidney failure are among the most prevalent ailments in cats and dogs. That’s why it’s important to seek high-sensitivity biomarkers of such pathologies.

The role of hyperhomocysteinemia has not been well researched, mentions the interviewee, “We take blood tests from cats and dogs who are admitted to veterinary clinics with symptoms of heart and kidney diseases and then compare the results with similar tests from healthy animals. The blood is studied for homocysteine, metabolites of nitrous oxide, and symmetrical and asymmetrical dimethylarginine as potential biomarkers. We make conclusions based on biochemical blood tests, ultrasound tests, and conduct correlational analysis. Simultaneously we also implement such testing on lab animals with modeled heart failure and renal failure.”

Information on correlations between homocysteine levels and levels of previously studied biomarkers can be very beneficial for further treatment.