Association of time to start of enteral nutrition and outcome in cats with hepatic lipidosis.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Enteral nutrition (EN) is essential for management of hepatic lipidosis (HL) in cats. OBJECTIVES: To determine if time to start of EN and other clinicopathologic variables are associated with outcome in cats with HL. ANIMALS: Forty-eight cats with HL. METHODS: Retrospective study. Information retrieved from medical records and client communications included clinicopathologic findings, time to start of EN, initial % of resting energy requirements provided, type of feeding tube, duration of hospitalization, and 3-month survival. Variables were compared between surviving and nonsurviving cats and between cats fed &#x2264;12&#x2009;hours and >12&#x2009;hours after hospital admission. Multivariable statistical testing was performed to further investigate variables of interest. RESULTS: Seventeen of 25 (68%) cats fed &#x2264;12&#x2009;hours and 13 of 23 (57%) of cats fed >12&#x2009;hours after hospital admission survived (P&#x2009;=&#x2009;.55). Only increasing age (odds ratio [OR], 1.313; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.032-1.671; P&#x2009;=&#x2009;.03) and the presence of ascites (OR, 6.415; 95% CI, 1.354-30.395; P&#x2009;=&#x2009;.02) were associated with death in multivariable analysis. Hospitalization duration (median, interquartile range [IQR]) was shorter in cats fed >12&#x2009;hours (2.8&#x2009;days; IQR, 2.1-3.8&#x2009;days) as compared with cats fed &#x2264;12&#x2009;hours (4.8&#x2009;days; IQR, 3.6-6.2&#x2009;days) after hospital admission (P&#x2009;<&#x2009;.001). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: An initial stabilization period before EN introduction does not decrease survival or increase duration of hospitalization in cats with HL.