Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Can insulin resistance from methylprednisolone in cats be prevented
By Leal, Karine Marchioro et al.·Published in Topics in companion animal medicine·2022·Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Brazil·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Is Methylprednisolone Acetate-Related Insulin Resistance Preventable in Cats?
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of 28 cats received a single injection of methylprednisolone acetate (MPA), a medication that can lead to insulin resistance and diabetes. To see if metformin (a diabetes medication) or a special diet could help prevent this, the cats were divided into three groups: one received only MPA, one got metformin for 30 days, and the last group switched to a special diet. After 15 days, all groups showed signs of increased insulin levels and other metabolic changes, but neither the metformin nor the diet helped prevent the insulin resistance caused by MPA.
People also search for: cat insulin resistance treatment · methylprednisolone acetate side effects in cats · metformin for cats diabetes
Abstract
Methylprednisolone acetate (MPA) is often prescribed to cats despite being recognized eventually as diabetogenic. To assess MPA-related insulin resistance and evaluate the efficacy of metformin or an obesity and diabetes mellitus (O&D) adjuvant diet as protective factors, a randomized clinical trial was conducted with 28 owned cats undergoing glucocorticoid therapy. A single MPA dose of 20 mg intramuscularly was administered to each cat. Controls (n = 10) received only MPA. In the diet group (n = 9), replacement of their habitual diet by ad-libitum feeding of a feline commercial O&D diet (Equilíbrio O&D, Total Alimentos ADM) was made. In the metformin group (n = 9), metformin chlorhydrate 25mg/cat PO/q24h was administered for 30 days. All patients were clinically evaluated at baseline (T0), day 15 (T15), and day 30 (T30) and blood draw for complete blood count, serum biochemistry, and determination of insulin concentrations. Fasting Insulin Sensitivity Index (SI), Amended Insulin to Glucose Ratio (AIGR), Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR), and Homeostatic Model Assessment of beta-cell function (HOMA-B) were calculated based on fasting glycemia and insulinemia. All groups showed significantly higher levels (P < .05) of neutrophils, albumin, glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, and serum insulin at T15. Patients in the metformin group showed also higher SI, AIGR, and HOMA-IR results at T15. Also, at T15, reduced levels (P < .05) of eosinophils, lymphocytes, and creatinine were documented in all groups. An MPA single dose induced changes in insulin sensitivity in cats; however, neither metformin nor O&D feeding used in this study was effective as protective factors against MPA-related insulin resistance.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35202848/