Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Evaluation of Weight Loss Over Time in Cats with Chronic Kidney Disease.
- Journal:
- Journal of veterinary internal medicine
- Year:
- 2016
- Authors:
- Freeman, L M et al.
- Affiliation:
- Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University · United States
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
In a study involving 569 cats with chronic kidney disease (CKD), researchers looked at how weight loss occurred over time, both before and after the diagnosis. They found that the average age of these cats at diagnosis was about 15 years, and many had already lost weight in the year leading up to their diagnosis. In fact, some cats showed signs of weight loss as early as three years before they were diagnosed with CKD, and this weight loss became more pronounced after the diagnosis. Cats that weighed less than 4.2 kg at diagnosis tended to have a shorter lifespan compared to those that weighed more. Overall, the study suggests that monitoring a cat's weight can help veterinarians identify CKD earlier, which could be beneficial for the cat's health.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Thin body condition and weight loss are common in cats with chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, the time course and progression of weight loss before and after diagnosis have not been thoroughly evaluated. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: To describe weight loss in cats with CKD before and after diagnosis and its relationship to survival. ANIMALS: A total of 569 cats (55.5% females and 44.5% males) with CKD from 6 US veterinary practices for which International Renal Interest Society (IRIS) stage, age, date of CKD diagnosis, and at least two body weight measurements were available. METHODS: Body weight measurements were analyzed by time windows and polynomial growth curve analysis. Survival analysis was performed by Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank tests. RESULTS: Median age at diagnosis was 14.9 years (range, 5.0-22.8 years). Cats were categorized at diagnosis as IRIS stage 1 (n = 34 [6%]), stage 2 (n = 345 [61%]), stage 3 (n = 141 [25%]), and stage 4 (n = 49 [9%]). Median body weight at diagnosis was 4.2 kg (range, 1.6-9.9 kg). Cats lost a median of 8.9% of body weight in the 12 months before diagnosis, but weight loss was already present 3 years before diagnosis and accelerated after diagnosis of CKD. Cats <4.2 kg at the time of diagnosis had significantly shorter survival time compared to cats ≥ 4.2 kg at diagnosis (P < .0001). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Weight loss can be detected in cats before diagnosis of CKD, accelerates after diagnosis, and is associated with shorter survival. Tracking body weight may help clinicians in earlier diagnosis of CKD.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27527534/