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Serum vitamin D status in sick cats with and without cholestatic liver disease

Lesli Kibler1, Cailin R Heinze1, Cynthia Rl Webster1

  • 1Department of Clinical Sciences, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, North Grafton, MA, USA.

Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery
|January 10, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Many cats with chronic liver disease (CLD) have low vitamin D levels, with one-third falling below the reference range. Further research is needed to understand the clinical impact and potential benefits of vitamin D supplementation in feline CLD.

Area of Science:

  • Veterinary Medicine
  • Biochemistry
  • Comparative Pathology

Background:

  • Vitamin D deficiency is common in human patients with chronic cholestatic liver disease (CLD).
  • The vitamin D status in cats suffering from CLD remains largely uninvestigated.
  • This study aims to elucidate vitamin D levels in cats with CLD.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess serum vitamin D concentrations in cats diagnosed with CLD.
  • To investigate the correlation between vitamin D levels and indicators of liver disease severity in cats.
  • To compare vitamin D status in cats with CLD versus sick cats without liver disease.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective enrollment of 36 cats with CLD and 23 sick control cats.
  • Measurement of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D), parathyroid hormone (PTH), and ionized calcium.
  • Collection of clinical data, including signalment, comorbidities, diet, and liver-specific biomarkers.

Main Results:

  • Median serum 25(OH)D levels were comparable between cats with CLD and sick controls.
  • A significant proportion of cats with CLD (33%) exhibited vitamin D levels below the reference interval.
  • Cats with CLD showed higher median PTH concentrations and a greater prevalence of elevated PTH compared to controls.
  • Vitamin D levels did not correlate with standard liver disease markers but showed a negative correlation with white blood cell count in cats with CLD.
  • Hepatic lipidosis was associated with the highest incidence of vitamin D deficiency.

Conclusions:

  • A substantial number of cats with CLD present with sub-optimal serum 25(OH)D concentrations.
  • The clinical significance of these low vitamin D levels in feline CLD requires further investigation.
  • The potential therapeutic benefits of vitamin D supplementation in cats with CLD warrant additional research.
Abstract

Keywords:
25-hydroxyvitamin Dcholangitishepatic lipidosishepatobiliary diseaseparathyroid hormone

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