Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Symmetric dimethylarginine links to kidney and blood changes in male
By Nóbrega, Jéssica Cavalcante da et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary science·2024·Department of Veterinary Clinics, Brazil·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Symmetric dimethylarginine correlates with the urea, creatinine, potassium, and clinical scores in feline urethral obstructions.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of 17 male cats with urethral obstruction (a blockage that can cause serious health issues) were studied to see how certain blood markers related to their condition. The researchers found that levels of symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) were closely linked to other important markers like creatinine and urea, which indicate kidney function. After treatment to relieve the obstruction, many cats still had elevated SDMA levels even after 48 hours, suggesting that this marker might be useful for monitoring recovery. Overall, the study highlights the importance of these blood tests in managing cats with urethral obstructions.
People also search for: male cat urethral obstruction treatment · elevated creatinine in cats · SDMA levels in cats
Abstract
BACKGROUND: A urethral obstruction (UO) is an emergency commonly observed in male cats, which can result in significant clinical and laboratory alterations, leading to complications and death. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to correlate symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) with the urea, creatinine, potassium, and bicarbonate levels in cats with UO. In addition, the correlation between clinical score and time of obstruction was evaluated. METHODS: Thirty male cats were selected and allocated into a control group (CG, n = 13) and an obstruction group (OG, n = 17). The laboratory analyses were conducted before treatment (M0) and at different times after treatment (12 h [M12], 24 h [M24], and 48 h [M48]). Correlations were established between SDMA and creatinine, urea, bicarbonate, potassium, time of obstruction, and the clinical score. RESULTS: A strong correlation (r > 0.6) was observed between SDMA and creatinine, urea, and potassium in the OG. Furthermore, there was substantial agreement (kappa value) between SDMA and creatinine at M24. A higher clinical score was associated with a longer time of obstruction. In the OG, at M48, the SDMA and creatinine levels were 50% and 41.2% higher, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: A correlation was observed between SDMA and creatinine in obstructed cats, and significant agreement between these values was observed 24 h after the unblocking treatment. A correlation among SDMA, urea, and potassium was observed. Approximately 9% more cats continued to have elevated SDMA levels after 48 h of treatment compared to creatinine. This suggests a slightly lower sensitivity of the latter biomarker but does not exclude the possibility of congruent and normalized values after a longer evaluation period.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38568828/