Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Disease activity scoring system for cats with chronic enteropathy
By Jergens, A E et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2010·Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: A clinical index for disease activity in cats with chronic enteropathy.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of 82 cats with chronic enteropathy (CE), which can cause symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea, were studied to create a simple scoring system to measure disease activity. This new index, called the feline chronic enteropathy activity index (FCEAI), helps veterinarians assess how severe the inflammation is and how well treatments are working. The study found that when cats received effective treatment, their FCEAI scores significantly decreased, indicating an improvement in their condition. This tool can help pet owners and vets track the progress of cats suffering from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or food-responsive enteropathy (FRE).
People also search for: cat vomiting treatment · cat diarrhea causes · inflammatory bowel disease in cats · chronic enteropathy in cats · cat food-responsive enteropathy symptoms
Abstract
BACKGROUND: There is a need for a clinically useful, quantitative index for measurement of disease activity in cats with chronic enteropathy (CE). OBJECTIVE: To develop a numerical activity index that is of practical value to clinicians treating CE in cats. ANIMALS: Eighty-two cats with CE. METHODS: Retrospective case review of 59 cats diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Prospective validation study of 23 cats having either IBD or food-responsive enteropathy (FRE). Multivariate regression analysis was used to identify which combination of clinical and laboratory variables were best associated with intestinal inflammation of IBD. This combination of variables was expressed in a score that was used as an activity index for the prospective assessment of disease activity and of the effect of treatment in cats with IBD or FRE. RESULTS: The combination of gastrointestinal signs, endoscopic abnormalities, serum total protein, serum alanine transaminase/alkaline phosphatase activity, and serum phosphorous concentration had the best correlation with histopathologic inflammation and comprise the feline chronic enteropathy activity index (FCEAI). Positive treatment responses in cats with CE were accompanied by significant (P < .05) reductions in FCEAI scores after treatment. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: The FCEAI is a simple numerical measure of inflammatory activity in cats with CE. The scoring index can be reliably used in the initial assessment of disease severity for both IBD and FRE and as a measure of clinical response to treatment for these disorders.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20584141/