To describe the clinical presentation and to evaluate the clinicopathological data in cats with chronic gastrointestinal signs (CGIS). Medical records of cats referred between June 2008 and December 2013 to the Veterinary Teaching Hospitals of Bologna, Teramo and Turin Universities, with CGIS (> 3 weeks) were retrospectively reviewed. Clinical examination, laboratory analysis, imaging findings, histopathology of bowel samples and follow up were analysed. Cats with CGIS caused by non-gastrointestinal diseases were excluded. Based on the response to subsequent empirical therapeutic trials and/or histopathological results, all cats were classified as having alimentary lymphoma (AL), food-responsive enteropathy (FRE), or idiopathic inflammatory bowel disease (iIBD). A statistical analysis (by applying parametric and non-parametric tests) was performed in order to define possible predictive parameters useful for the characterization of CGIS. The variables analysed between groups were: age, presence of vomiting, diarrhoea, weight loss, muscle wasting, body condition score, lethargy, jaundice, packed cell volume, white blood cells and platelets count, serum total protein, albumin, globulin, cholesterol, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyl transferase, bilirubin, feline pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity, cobalamin, folate concentrations, urinary specific gravity and abdominal ultrasound. Eight cats with AL, 19 with iIBD and 21 with FRE were included. Twenty-three cats were male (20 castrated) and 25 female (19 spayed). Median age at diagnosis was 97 months (range 5-190 months). European shorthaired cats were overrepresented (n=39). The median BCS was 2.7 (range 1-5). Eleven cats died within 48 weeks of the initial diagnosis, while 37 cats are still alive. Cats with alimentary lymphoma were older (ANOVA, p<0.05) and showed greater weight loss (Kruskall Wallis, p<0.05) than cats with FRE. Moreover, cats with alimentary lymphoma showed greater muscle wasting (Kruskall Wallis, p<0.05), lower BCS (Kruskall Wallis, p<0.05), differences in WBC count (Kruskall Wallis, p<0.05) and abdominal ultrasound abnormalities (Kruskall Wallis, p<0.05) than cats with FRE or iIBD. Cats of this study were mostly affected by FRE and iIBD and showed classic gastrointestinal signs (1). Hypoalbuminemia was observed most frequently in cats with AL compared to FRE and iIBD, however the difference was not significant. The absence of significance may be related to the small number of cats with AL included in the study. Clinical outcome was variable, but many cats experienced remission of clinical signs and prolonged survival time. In addition, this study found that cats with poor body conditions, WBC count and abdominal ultrasound abnormalities are potentially affected by alimentary lymphoma (2).
Clinicopathological features of 48 cats with chronic gastrointestinal signs (CGIS)
GIANELLA, Paola;
2014-01-01
Abstract
To describe the clinical presentation and to evaluate the clinicopathological data in cats with chronic gastrointestinal signs (CGIS). Medical records of cats referred between June 2008 and December 2013 to the Veterinary Teaching Hospitals of Bologna, Teramo and Turin Universities, with CGIS (> 3 weeks) were retrospectively reviewed. Clinical examination, laboratory analysis, imaging findings, histopathology of bowel samples and follow up were analysed. Cats with CGIS caused by non-gastrointestinal diseases were excluded. Based on the response to subsequent empirical therapeutic trials and/or histopathological results, all cats were classified as having alimentary lymphoma (AL), food-responsive enteropathy (FRE), or idiopathic inflammatory bowel disease (iIBD). A statistical analysis (by applying parametric and non-parametric tests) was performed in order to define possible predictive parameters useful for the characterization of CGIS. The variables analysed between groups were: age, presence of vomiting, diarrhoea, weight loss, muscle wasting, body condition score, lethargy, jaundice, packed cell volume, white blood cells and platelets count, serum total protein, albumin, globulin, cholesterol, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyl transferase, bilirubin, feline pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity, cobalamin, folate concentrations, urinary specific gravity and abdominal ultrasound. Eight cats with AL, 19 with iIBD and 21 with FRE were included. Twenty-three cats were male (20 castrated) and 25 female (19 spayed). Median age at diagnosis was 97 months (range 5-190 months). European shorthaired cats were overrepresented (n=39). The median BCS was 2.7 (range 1-5). Eleven cats died within 48 weeks of the initial diagnosis, while 37 cats are still alive. Cats with alimentary lymphoma were older (ANOVA, p<0.05) and showed greater weight loss (Kruskall Wallis, p<0.05) than cats with FRE. Moreover, cats with alimentary lymphoma showed greater muscle wasting (Kruskall Wallis, p<0.05), lower BCS (Kruskall Wallis, p<0.05), differences in WBC count (Kruskall Wallis, p<0.05) and abdominal ultrasound abnormalities (Kruskall Wallis, p<0.05) than cats with FRE or iIBD. Cats of this study were mostly affected by FRE and iIBD and showed classic gastrointestinal signs (1). Hypoalbuminemia was observed most frequently in cats with AL compared to FRE and iIBD, however the difference was not significant. The absence of significance may be related to the small number of cats with AL included in the study. Clinical outcome was variable, but many cats experienced remission of clinical signs and prolonged survival time. In addition, this study found that cats with poor body conditions, WBC count and abdominal ultrasound abnormalities are potentially affected by alimentary lymphoma (2).
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