Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Treating dogs with meningoencephalomyelitis using cytosine
By Stee, Kimberley et al.·Published in The Veterinary record·2020·Dovecote Veterinary Hospital, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Cytosine arabinoside constant rate infusion without subsequent subcutaneous injections for the treatment of dogs with meningoencephalomyelitis of unknown origin.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs diagnosed with meningoencephalomyelitis of unknown origin (MUO) received a continuous rate infusion of cytosine arabinoside (CA) to treat their condition. This method was compared to a group that received the same infusion followed by additional subcutaneous injections of CA. Both groups also received a steroid called prednisolone. After 36 months, there was no significant difference in survival or relapse rates between the two treatment methods, suggesting that the extra injections did not provide additional benefits.
People also search for: dog meningoencephalomyelitis treatment · cytosine arabinoside for dogs · dog steroid treatment for MUO
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The administration of cytosine arabinoside (CA) by continuous rate infusion (CRI) at the time of diagnosis has been shown to improve the 3-month survival of dogs diagnosed with meningoencephalomyelitis of unknown origin (MUO), compared to subcutaneous administration. The benefit of administering subsequent sequential CA subcutaneous injections is unknown. This study compares the outcomes of a CA CRI protocol with (CRI+subcutaneous group) or without (CRI group) follow-up CA subcutaneous injections; both groups received adjunctive prednisolone. METHODS: Forty-two dogs diagnosed with MUO were recruited (CRI group) and compared with 41 historical control dogs (CRI+subcutaneous group) in a prospective, controlled clinical trial with 36 months of follow-up. RESULTS: Success rates were respectively 64.3 per cent and 65 per cent in the CRI and the CRI+subcutaneous groups at 40 weeks following diagnosis, and 32.5 per cent and 35.9 per cent at 36 months following diagnosis. The median time to relapse was 299 and 285 days for the CRI and the CRI+subcutaneous groups, respectively. No statistically significant difference was found (P≥0.05). CONCLUSION: No clear benefit was identified in the administration of subsequent sequential CA subcutaneous injections after the first administration of CA by CRI for the treatment of dogs diagnosed with MUO.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32862133/