Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How body weight changes affect leg force in dogs with arthritis
By Moreau, Maxim et al.·Published in Veterinary surgery : VS·2010·Companion Animal Research Group & GREPAQ and Department of Veterinary Biomedicine, Canada·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Influence of changes in body weight on peak vertical force in osteoarthritic dogs: a possible bias in study outcome.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 26 dogs with osteoarthritis (OA) were studied to see how changes in their body weight affected their ability to walk. Over 90 days, the dogs were fed two different diets, and while their walking force didn’t improve significantly, their body weight did increase. This weight gain was linked to worsening lameness, suggesting that heavier dogs might struggle more with movement. The findings indicate that weight management is crucial for dogs with OA to help maintain their mobility and reduce pain.
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Force platform gait analysis is a recognized clinical evaluation tool that captures and documents the in vivo pathomechanics of osteoarthritis (OA). In a clinical trial designed to evaluate the impact of 2 specific diets, an increase in body weight (BW) was observed in lame client-owned dogs. Covariance analysis was used to evaluate the interference of BW changes toward the evolution of peak vertical force (PVF) values. These secondary findings are reported in this study. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective study. ANIMALS: Lame dogs (n=26). METHODS: Dogs with radiographic evidence of OA and low PVF values were fed with 2 specific diets for 30 and 60 days. PVF and BW were recorded at baseline, day 30 (D30), and D90. RESULTS: Mean (+/-SD) PVF values (%BW) did not differ significantly over time (D0: 63.9+/-17.2; D30: 65.5+/-17.4; and D90: 66.5+/-20.1). In contrast, BW (kg) was significantly higher at D90 (41.3+/-7.9) when compared with D30 (39.9+/-8.4) and D0 (40.0+/-8.7). Upon covariance analyses, BW changes interfere significantly with PVF values already normalized in %BW (P=.013). Values of PVF adjusted using BW as a covariate were then 63.4+/-17.1 (D0), 65.0+/-17.3 (D30), and 67.6+/-20.5 (D90), whereas D90 was significantly higher than D0. CONCLUSION: These findings highlighted the interference of changes in BW toward locomotor function of OA dogs when using PVF values normalized in %BW. Exacerbation of lameness when a gain in BW occurred was also sustained, raising a possible bias in clinical study outcomes. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: A BW increase in dogs with OA could exacerbate a preexisting lameness and induce a bias in clinical trials.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20210943/