Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Changes in blood markers in blind dogs with pituitary
By Cabrera Blatter, M F et al.·Published in Research in veterinary science·2012·Cá·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Interleukin-6 and insulin incrase and nitric oxide and adiponectin decrease in blind dogs with pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of blind dogs with pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism (a condition causing excess cortisol) showed rapid signs of illness compared to dogs with normal vision. The blind dogs had higher levels of certain substances in their blood, like insulin and interleukin-6, which are linked to their condition, while levels of nitric oxide and adiponectin were lower. These changes in blood chemistry suggest that the blindness may be related to how their bodies are handling cortisol and blood flow to the eyes. Understanding these connections can help veterinarians manage the health of dogs with this condition more effectively.
People also search for: blind dog pituitary disease · dog high cortisol symptoms · insulin levels in dogs with Cushing's
Abstract
In this study, two populations of dogs with pituitary dependent hypercortisolism (PDH) were compared over a 2-year period. One group had normal vision (Group A, n=27) and one group was blind (Group B, n=20). Group B was characterised by the rapid appearance of the clinical signs of PDH that precede blindness. We found increases in pre-adrenocorticotropic hormone cortisol (P=0.002), IL-6 (P=0.0001), insulin, and insulin sensitivity (detected with the Homeostatic Model Assessment, P<0.0001) in Group B but not in Group A. The nitric oxide (NO) and the total adiponectin concentrations decreased (P=0.0001 and P=0.02, respectively) in Group B versus Group A. The IL-6 and insulin concentrations and the HOMA-A index were positively correlated with the cortisol concentration and were negatively correlated with the NO concentration. With the exception of adiponectin, the other variables were associated with blindness. We concluded that blindness in PDH is a haemodynamic event associated with metabolic changes, with the increase in the IL-6 concentration and the decrease in the NO concentration affecting the retinal vasculature and producing a high risk of vision loss.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22381588/