Median survival times are longer in azotemic cats that have a 25% or 50% reduction in creatinine at 24 or 48 hours, respectively, after subcutaneous ureteral bypass device placement.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To determine median survival time using predefined creatinine percentage changes after SC ureteral bypass (SUB) placement. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study. Data from cats admitted for SUB placement were collected between 2015 and 2022 from a single referral hospital. Serum creatinine values at presentation and at 24 and 48 hours after SUB placement and outcome data (dead or alive) were extracted, and percentage change was calculated. Cats with incomplete datasets or nonbenign obstruction were excluded. A priori decreases of 25% and 50% were regarded as acceptable changes at 24 or 48 hours, respectively. Median survival times were approximated using Kaplan-Meier curves. RESULTS: Records from 21 of 30 cats (14 female, 7 male) that were a median of 8 (7 to 10) years old had complete datasets for analysis. Median survival times were 241 (8, 719) and 989 (989, 1,510) days for cats that did not and did achieve the predefined decrease at 24 hours, respectively. Median survival times were 225 (8, 387) and 989 (2, 1,510) days for cats that did not and did achieve the predefined decrease at 48 hours, respectively. The overall median survival time was 387 (119, 989) days regardless of achieving the predefined percentage decreases. CONCLUSIONS: The median survival time was significantly longer in cats that achieved or exceeded the predefined percentage reduction in creatinine at 24 or 48 hours after SUB placement. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Evaluating percentage changes in serial serum creatinine after SUB placement can be useful to indicate survival and longevity.