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Serum Cystatin C Concentrations in Cats with Hyperthyroidism and Chronic Kidney Disease

T L Williams1, H Dillon1, J Elliott2

  • 1Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.

Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine
|May 8, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Serum cystatin C (sCysC) does not reliably predict kidney disease in hyperthyroid cats. This study found no significant differences in sCysC levels before or after treatment, or between cats that developed azotemia and those that did not.

Area of Science:

  • Veterinary Medicine
  • Nephrology
  • Endocrinology

Background:

  • Hyperthyroidism is common in cats, and predicting post-treatment azotemia is challenging.
  • Serum cystatin C (sCysC) was investigated as a potential biomarker for kidney function due to its lower dependence on muscle mass compared to creatinine.
  • Chronic kidney disease (CKD) can be concurrent with hyperthyroidism, complicating diagnosis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate if serum cystatin C (sCysC) concentrations differ in hyperthyroid cats that develop azotemia post-treatment compared to those that remain non-azotemic.
  • To compare sCysC in non-hyperthyroid cats with azotemic CKD versus healthy older cats.
  • To determine if sCysC levels change after hyperthyroidism treatment.

Main Methods:

  • A case-control study involving 91 cats treated in first-opinion practice.
  • sCysC was measured in hyperthyroid cats before and after treatment, and compared between groups: pre-azotemic, non-azotemic, azotemic CKD, and healthy controls.
  • Data were analyzed using median and interquartile ranges.

Main Results:

  • Baseline sCysC levels were not significantly different between hyperthyroid cats that developed azotemia and those that did not (P = .22).
  • sCysC levels in cats with azotemic CKD were not significantly different from healthy older cats (P = .16).
  • sCysC levels did not significantly change after successful treatment of hyperthyroidism (P = .82).

Conclusions:

  • Serum cystatin C (sCysC) does not appear to be a reliable indicator of renal function in hyperthyroid cats.
  • The findings suggest sCysC is not a useful biomarker for predicting azotemia or assessing kidney function in this population.
  • Further research may be needed to identify reliable biomarkers for renal function in hyperthyroid cats.
Abstract

Keywords:
AzotemiaClinical chemistryClinical pathologyEndocrinologyRenal functionThyroidUrinary tractValidation

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