Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Signs, tests, and outcomes in 157 hospitalized cats with pancreatitis
By Nivy, Ran et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2018·Department of Small Animal Internal Medicine·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: A retrospective study of 157 hospitalized cats with pancreatitis in a tertiary care center: Clinical, imaging and laboratory findings, potential prognostic markers and outcome.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of 157 cats with pancreatitis was hospitalized for treatment, with many showing symptoms like lethargy and loss of appetite. Most of the cats (about 78%) recovered and were discharged, while those that didn't often had more severe symptoms and complications. Common causes of pancreatitis included recent anesthesia and trauma, but in many cases, the cause was unknown. Treatment often involved supportive care, including antibiotics for those that survived. This study highlights the importance of recognizing symptoms early and the potential need for specific treatments in cats with pancreatitis.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND: Pancreatitis in cats (FP) has been increasingly diagnosed in recent years, but clinical studies of large numbers of affected cats are scarce. OBJECTIVES: To describe a large cohort of cats with FP requiring hospitalization. ANIMALS: One hundred and fifty-seven client-owned cats. METHODS: Retrospective study, including cats diagnosed with pancreatitis based on sonographic evidence, positive SNAP feline pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity test results, increased 1,2-o-dilauryl-rac-glycerol-glutaric Acid-(6'-methylresorufin ester)-lipase activity, histopathology, or some combination of these. RESULTS: One-hundred and twenty-two cats (77.7%) survived to discharge. Median time from onset of clinical signs to presentation was longer (P = .003) in nonsurvivors. Causes of FP included recent general anesthesia, trauma, hemodynamic compromise, and organophosphate intoxication, but most cases (86.6%) were idiopathic. Ultrasonographic findings consistent with pancreatitis were documented in 134 cats, including pancreatomegaly (81.3%), decreased (31.3%), or increased (14.9%) pancreatic echogenicity, extra-hepatic biliary tract dilatation (24%), and increased peri-pancreatic echogenicity (13%). Lethargy (P = .003), pleural effusion (P = .003), hypoglycemia (P = .007), ionized hypocalcemia (P = .016), azotemia (P = .014), parenteral nutrition administration (P = .013), and persistent anorexia during hospitalization (P = .001) were more frequent in nonsurvivors, whereas antibiotics were more frequently administered to survivors (P = .023). Nevertheless, when Bonferroni's correction for multiple comparisons was applied, none of the variables was statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Previously unreported, clinically relevant, potential prognostic factors, including hypoglycemia, azotemia, parenteral nutrition, and withholding antibacterial treatment were identified in this exploratory study. These preliminary results should be examined further in confirmatory studies.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30315665/