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Serum Total Thyroxine Evaluation in Critically Ill Feline Patients
Eleonora Gori1, Alessio Pierini1, Erica Bartolomeo1
1Veterinary Teaching Hospital "Mario Modenato", Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, Via Livornese Lato monte, San Piero a Grado, 56122 Pisa, Italy.
Veterinary Sciences
|January 30, 2021
Summary
Critically ill cats have lower serum total thyroxine (tT4) levels than those with chronic illness. Lower tT4 concentrations in critical cats are linked to mortality, suggesting prognostic value for tT4 testing.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Medicine
- Endocrinology
- Critical Care
Background:
- Non-thyroidal illness syndrome (NTIS) is common in critically ill animals.
- Thyroid hormone levels can be affected by severe illness, independent of thyroid function.
- Understanding factors influencing thyroid hormones in critical feline patients is crucial for prognosis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare serum total thyroxine (tT4) in critically ill cats (CCs) versus cats with chronic non-thyroidal diseases (CGs).
- To investigate the association between tT4 levels and systemic inflammation (SIRS), disease severity (APPLEfast), and prognosis in CCs.
- To determine if tT4 concentration can serve as a prognostic marker in hospitalized cats.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective case-control study including 49 hospitalized critical cats and 37 non-hospitalized chronic disease cats.
- Serum tT4 concentrations were measured from stored samples at admission.
- Systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) and Acute Patient Physiologic and Laboratory Evaluation (APPLEfast) scores were assessed in CCs.
Main Results:
- Critically ill cats exhibited significantly lower serum tT4 concentrations compared to the chronic group (1.3 ± 0.7 vs. 2 ± 0.9 μg/dL, p < 0.0001).
- Serum tT4 concentration, but not SIRS or APPLEfast score, was significantly associated with mortality in CCs (p = 0.04).
- A tT4 cut-off of 1.65 μg/dL predicted mortality with 81% sensitivity and 57% specificity (OR 5.6).
Conclusions:
- Non-thyroidal illness syndrome is prevalent in critically ill cats.
- Serum tT4 levels are a significant predictor of mortality in hospitalized cats.
- Measuring tT4 in critical feline patients may provide valuable prognostic information.
