Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How mirtazapine acts in cats with chronic kidney disease
By Quimby, J M et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2011·Department of Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: The pharmacokinetics of mirtazapine in cats with chronic kidney disease and in age-matched control cats.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of older cats with chronic kidney disease (CKD) often stop eating, so they were given mirtazapine, an appetite stimulant, to see how well it worked. The study found that CKD affects how the body processes mirtazapine, making it stay in the system longer than in healthy cats. This means that CKD cats might need less frequent doses of the medication, about every 48 hours, to help stimulate their appetite. The results suggest that mirtazapine can be an effective option for improving appetite in cats with CKD.
People also search for: cat chronic kidney disease appetite stimulant · mirtazapine for cats with kidney disease · why is my cat not eating
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Cats with chronic kidney disease (CKD) often experience inappetence, and may benefit from administration of mirtazapine, an appetite stimulant. The pharmacokinetics of mirtazapine in CKD cats is unknown. HYPOTHESIS: CKD delays the clearance/bioavailability (CL/F) of mirtazapine. ANIMALS: Six CKD cats and 6 age-matched controls (AMC) were enrolled. Two CKD cats each from International Renal Interest Society (IRIS) stage II, III and IV were included. METHODS: Blood samples were collected before and 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 4, 8, 24, and 48 hours after a single PO dose of 1.88 mg of mirtazapine. Mirtazapine concentrations were measured by liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry. Non-compartmental pharmacokinetic modeling was performed. RESULTS: Mean age was 11 years (CKD cats) and 10.8 years (AMC cats). Mean serum creatinine concentration ± standard deviation (SD) was 3.8 ± 1.6 mg/dL (CKD) and 1.3 ± 0.4 mg/dL (AMC). Mean half-life ± SD was 15.2 ± 4.2 hours (CKD) and 12.1 ± 1.1 hours (AMC). Mean area under the curve (AUC) ± SD was 770.6 ± 225.5 ng/mL•hr (CKD) and 555.5 ± 175.4 ng/mL•hr (AMC). Mean CL/F ± SD was 0.6 ± 0.1 L/hr/kg (CKD) and 0.8 ± 0.16 L/hr/kg (AMC). A Mann-Whitney test indicated statistically significant differences in AUC (P = 0.01) and CL/F (P = 0.04) between groups. Calculated accumulation factor for 48-hour dosing in CKD cats was 1.15. CONCLUSION: CKD may delay the CL/F of mirtazapine. A single low dose of mirtazapine resulted in a half-life compatible with a 48-hour dosing interval in CKD cats.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21985134/