Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Ciclosporin treatment affects blood sugar in dogs with itchy skin
By Kovalik, Marcel et al.·Published in Veterinary dermatology·2011·The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Ciclosporin A therapy is associated with disturbances in glucose metabolism in dogs with atopic dermatitis.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 16 dogs with atopic dermatitis (a skin condition causing itching and inflammation) were treated with ciclosporin A (CsA) to help manage their symptoms. After six weeks of treatment, the dogs showed higher levels of glucose in their blood, which indicates potential issues with how their bodies process sugar. Additionally, their insulin levels were lower after treatment, suggesting that CsA may affect glucose metabolism. While all dogs completed the study and the treatment helped with their skin condition, pet owners should be aware of these possible changes in glucose levels when considering CsA for their pets.
People also search for: dog atopic dermatitis treatment · ciclosporin A side effects in dogs · dog glucose metabolism issues
Abstract
The effect of ciclosporin A (CsA) on glucose homeostasis was investigated in 16 dogs with atopic dermatitis by determining plasma glucose, serum fructosamine and insulin concentrations, and serial insulin and glucose concentrations following a glucagon stimulation test, before and 6 weeks after CsA therapy at 5 mg/kg once daily. All dogs completed the study. Following CsA treatment, the median serum fructosamine concentrations were significantly higher (pretreatment 227.5 μmol/L; post-treatment 246.5 μmol/L; P = 0.001; reference range 162-310 μmol/L). Based on analyses of the areas under concentration-time curves (AUC) pre- and post-CsA treatment, plasma glucose concentrations were significantly higher (AUC without baseline correction 31.0 mmol/L/min greater; P = 0.021) and serum insulin concentrations were significantly lower (AUC without baseline correction 217.1 μIU/mL/min lower; P = 0.044) following CsA treatment. Peak glucose concentrations after glucagon stimulation test were significantly higher following CsA treatment (10.75 versus 12.05 mmol/L; P = 0.021), but there was no significant difference in peak serum insulin (52.0 versus 35.0 μIU/mL; P = 0.052). There was a negative correlation between baseline uncorrected insulin AUC and trough serum log CsA concentrations (r = -0.70, P = 0.005). The administration of CsA to dogs with atopic dermatitis leads to disturbances in glucose homeostasis. The clinical significance of this is unclear, but it should be taken into account when considering CsA treatment in dogs that already have such impairments.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21114560/