Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Prednisolone can cause diabetes in cats within 3 months
By Nerhagen, Sivert et al.·Published in Journal of feline medicine and surgery·2021·Department of Clinical Sciences and Services, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Prednisolone-induced diabetes mellitus in the cat: a historical cohort.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of 143 cats receiving a steroid medication called prednisolone for more than three weeks was studied to see if it could lead to diabetes. Out of these cats, 14 (about 10%) developed diabetes within three months of starting the treatment. This suggests that if your cat is on a high dose of prednisolone, it's important to monitor their blood sugar levels closely during the first few months of treatment. Early detection can help manage any potential diabetes that may arise.
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Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Prednisolone is a commonly used drug in cats and potential adverse effects include hyperglycaemia and diabetes mellitus. The aims of this study were to evaluate the frequency and investigate potential predisposing risk factors for the development of prednisolone-induced diabetes mellitus (PIDM) in cats. METHODS: The electronic records of a tertiary referral centre were searched for cats receiving prednisolone at a starting dose of ⩾1.9 mg/kg/day, for >3 weeks and with follow-up data available for >3 months between January 2007 and July 2019. One hundred and forty-three cats were included in the study. RESULTS: Of the 143 cats, 14 cats (9.7%) were diagnosed with PIDM. Twelve out of 14 cats (85.7%) developed diabetes within 3 months of the initiation of therapy. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Cats requiring high-dose prednisolone therapy should be closely monitored over the first 3 months of therapy for the development of PIDM.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32716236/