Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
High beta-hydroxybutyric acid linked to diabetes and liver disease
By Aroch, Itamar et al.·Published in Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)·2012·Koret School of Veterinary Medicine·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: A retrospective study of serum β-hydroxybutyric acid in 215 ill cats: clinical signs, laboratory findings and diagnoses.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of 215 sick cats was tested for a substance called beta-hydroxybutyric acid (sBHBA) to see if it could help diagnose conditions like diabetes and liver disease. About 26% of the cats had high levels of sBHBA, which were linked to symptoms such as not eating, weight loss, increased thirst and urination, and jaundice (yellowing of the skin). The study found that high sBHBA levels were especially common in cats with diabetes or liver disease, making it a helpful tool for vets in diagnosing these conditions.
People also search for: cat diabetes symptoms · cat liver disease signs · high sBHBA in cats · why is my cat losing weight · cat increased thirst and urination
Abstract
Serum concentrations of β-hydroxybutyric acid (sBHBA) are increased in cats with diabetes mellitus (DM), diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and hepatic lipidosis (HL). This study assessed sBHBA as a diagnostic tool in 215 consecutively-enrolled ill cats in the general population in a veterinary hospital. At the time of presentation, sBHBA was within the reference range in 158/215 (73.5%) cats (median 0.27; range 0.00-0.49 mmol/L) and elevated in 57/215 (26.5%) cats (median 0.87; range 0.51-21.45 mmol/L). Compared to cats with normal sBHBA, those with increased sBHBA had higher frequencies of anorexia, weight loss, icterus, polyuria/polydipsia, hyperbilirubinaemia, hypertriglyceridaemia, pancreatitis, HL, DM and DKA. They had higher concentrations of bilirubin and triglycerides and lower concentrations of potassium, chloride and total protein. There were positive correlations (P<0.01) between sBHBA and urinary glucose (r=0.42) and ketones (r=0.76), but there were no group differences in dipstick levels of urinary ketones. Cats with DM/DKA and with HL had significantly higher sBHBA compared to other cats. Receiver operator characteristics analysis of sBHBA as a predictor of HL showed that sBHBA was a good predictor of HL. Increased sBHBA occurs frequently in ill cats and provides useful diagnostic information, especially in DM/DKA and HL.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21316992/