Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Body size and IGF-1 levels in cats with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
By Yang, Vicky K et al.·Published in American journal of veterinary research·2008·Department of Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Comparisons of morphometric measurements and serum insulin-like growth factor concentration in healthy cats and cats with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of 25 cats with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), a heart condition that can cause breathing problems and lethargy, was compared to 22 healthy cats to see if there were differences in size and growth factors. The study found that cats with HCM were generally larger in certain body measurements, like head size and bone lengths, but they did not have a higher body condition score, meaning they weren't necessarily overweight. The serum levels of insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1), which can indicate growth, were similar between the two groups. This suggests that while HCM cats may be larger, they are not more obese than healthy cats.
People also search for: cat hypertrophic cardiomyopathy symptoms · why is my cat so big · cat heart disease growth factors
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To compare morphometric measurements and serum insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) concentration in cats with and without hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), and assess the hypothesis that cats with HCM have larger body size and skeletal features and higher serum IGF-1 concentrations than healthy cats. ANIMALS: 25 cats with HCM and 22 healthy control cats. PROCEDURES: Physical examination and echocardiography were performed to classify cats into the HCM and control groups. Data collected from each cat included diet history, body weight, body condition score, lengths of the humerus and 4th and 12th thoracic vertebrae, heart size, head length and width, and abdominal circumferences. Comparisons of these variables were made between groups. RESULTS: Body condition score in HCM-affected and control cats did not differ significantly. However, median head width; lengths of the head, 4th and 12th thoracic vertebrae, and humerus; and body weight in the HCM-affected group were significantly greater than values in the control group. Median serum concentration of IGF-1 was not significantly different between groups. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: These data suggested that among the study cats, those with HCM were skeletally larger, but not more obese, than healthy cats. Whether this was attributable to differences in early growth or other causes requires additional investigation.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18672971/