Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cat developed iatrogenic Cushing's after short methylprednisolone
By Ferasin, L·Published in Journal of feline medicine and surgery·2001·Department of Clinical Veterinary Science, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Iatrogenic hyperadrenocorticism in a cat following a short therapeutic course of methylprednisolone acetate.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 5-year-old female cat developed symptoms of iatrogenic hyperadrenocorticism, a condition similar to Cushing's syndrome, after receiving a short course of a steroid medication called methylprednisolone for an allergic reaction. The cat showed signs of adrenal dysfunction, which is unusual in cats, as they typically tolerate steroids better than dogs. The veterinarian stopped the steroid treatment and provided supportive care, which helped restore the cat's adrenal function back to normal. The cat recovered well after the treatment was adjusted.
People also search for: cat Cushing's syndrome symptoms · cat adrenal problems treatment · methylprednisolone side effects in cats
Abstract
Iatrogenic hyperadrenocorticism (or iatrogenic Cushing's syndrome) is an adrenal disorder that may result from long-term administration of glucocorticoids for therapeutic purposes, most often given to treat allergic or immune-mediated disorders. Prolonged treatment with synthetic glucocorticoids can suppress hypothalamic corticotrophin releasing hormone and plasma adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH), thus causing a functional inactivity of the adrenal cortex. The result is a clinical syndrome of hyperadrenocorticism but with basal and ACTH-stimulated plasma cortisol concentrations that are consistent with spontaneous hypoadrenocorticism (Addison's disease). Whilst iatrogenic hyperadrenocorticism is relatively frequent in dogs, the diagnosis of iatrogenic hyperadrenocorticism in cats is very uncommon because this species has been found to be remarkably resistant to prolonged administration of glucocorticoids. To the author's knowledge, there are only two published clinical cases of feline iatrogenic Cushing's syndrome. This report describes a case of iatrogenic hyperadrenocorticism in a cat, and shows how normalisation of the adrenal function was achieved with supportive treatment and withdrawal of glucocorticoid administration.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11876622/