Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Predicting kidney problems after hyperthyroidism treatment in cats
By Riensche, Melissa R et al.·Published in Journal of feline medicine and surgery·2008·Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: An investigation of predictors of renal insufficiency following treatment of hyperthyroidism in cats.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of cats with hyperthyroidism were studied to see if their pre-treatment health data could predict if they would develop kidney problems after treatment. The researchers looked at various health indicators before and after treatment but found no reliable way to predict which cats would have kidney issues later. This means that routine tests done before treatment may not help in assessing the risk of kidney problems after hyperthyroidism treatment. The findings suggest that a trial with methimazole (a medication for hyperthyroidism) is necessary before considering more permanent treatments.
People also search for: cat hyperthyroidism treatment · cat kidney problems after hyperthyroidism · methimazole side effects in cats
Abstract
To determine if routine pre-treatment clinical data can be used to predict the development of overt renal insufficiency following treatment of feline hyperthyroidism, we studied retrospectively all non-azotemic cats undergoing treatment for hyperthyroidism at our hospital. Medical records were reviewed for signalment, clinical signs, and serum biochemical, hematologic and urinalysis parameters before and after treatment for hyperthyroidism. Two groups - cats that developed post-treatment renal insufficiency, and those that did not - were compared. No significant differences could be detected between the groups with respect to the parameters measured. Our study suggests that the results of routine pre-treatment clinical data cannot be used to reliably predict renal function after treatment for hyperthyroidism, validating the necessity of a methimazole trial prior to definitive therapy. The widely held belief that cats with pre-treatment urine specific gravity>1.035 are at less risk for development of renal azotemia after treatment of hyperthyroidism seems unwarranted.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18086546/