Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Antioxidant and protein changes in cats with pyometra
By Vilhena, Hugo et al.·Published in Theriogenology·2018·Department of Veterinary Medicine·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Acute phase proteins and antioxidant responses in queens with pyometra.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of female cats (queens) diagnosed with pyometra, a serious reproductive infection, showed significant changes in certain blood proteins and antioxidants compared to healthy cats. The sick queens had higher levels of acute phase proteins (which indicate inflammation) and lower levels of antioxidants at the time of diagnosis. After surgery to treat the pyometra, these levels began to return to normal, suggesting that monitoring these proteins could help vets assess the condition and recovery of affected cats. Most queens that underwent surgery showed improvement in their health and blood markers within ten days.
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Abstract
Acute phase proteins (APP) and biomarkers of oxidative status have proved to be clinically useful biomarkers of pyometra in different species. Despite pyometra is considered one of the most important feline reproductive diseases, information about the APP response and the oxidative status in queens with pyometra is lacking. This study aimed to evaluate the APP and the antioxidant responses at diagnosis and in the post-operative period in feline pyometra. Serum concentrations of serum amyloid A (SAA), haptoglobin (Hp), albumin, total serum thiols (Thiol) and total antioxidant capacity determined by different assays, including trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) assessed by two different methodologies (TEAC1 and TEAC2), ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP), and cupric reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC), were determined in 23 queens with pyometra at diagnosis and in 13 healthy control queens submitted to elective ovariohysterectomy. The APP and antioxidants were also evaluated in 11 queens of the pyometra group at days two and 10 after surgery. At diagnosis, queens with pyometra had serum concentrations of SAA, Hp, and FRAP significantly higher (P < 0.001, P < 0.001 and P < 0.05, respectively), and of albumin, Thiol, CUPRAC and TEAC2 significantly lower (P < 0.001, P < 0.001, P < 0.001 and P < 0.01, respectively) than controls. Moreover, concentrations of APP and antioxidants were significantly different (with a tendency to return to physiologic levels) at day 10 after surgery than before surgery. Significant associations were found between APP and antioxidants. According to these results, an APP response and the development of oxidative stress were detected in queens with pyometra. In addition, APP and antioxidants tended to return to physiologic values after surgery in the queens that recovered from the disease. Therefore, our results suggest that APP and selected antioxidants, such as Thiol and CUPRAC, could be potentially useful biomarkers in diagnosis and assessment of the post-operative period in feline pyometra.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29705657/