Harriet M Syme

BACKGROUND: Early detection of decreased glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in dogs is challenging. Current methods are insensitive and new biomarkers are required.

OBJECTIVE: To compare overall diagnostic performance of serum symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) and serum cystatin C to serum creatinine, for detection of decreased GFR in clinically stable dogs, with or without chronic kidney disease (CKD).

ANIMALS: Ninety-seven client-owned dogs: 67 dogs with a diagnosis or suspicion of CKD ...

BACKGROUND: Iatrogenic hypothyroidism can occur after treatment of hyperthyroidism, and is correlated with a reduced glomerular filtration rate in humans and dogs.

HYPOTHESIS: Cats with iatrogenic hypothyroidism after treatment for hyperthyroidism will have a greater incidence of azotemia than euthyroid cats.

ANIMALS: Eighty client owned cats with hyperthyroidism.

METHODS: Two retrospective studies. (1) Longitudinal study of 12 hyperthyroid cats treated with radioiodine (documented as ...

BACKGROUND: Hypertension is a common problem in older cats, most often associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Cross-sectional studies have suggested that blood pressure in cats increases with age.

HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: To determine whether blood pressure in cats increases with age and whether this occurs independently of the presence of CKD. To investigate risk factors for developing hypertension.

ANIMALS/SUBJECTS: Two hundred and sixty-five cats with CKD and 133 healthy cats ≥9 ...

BACKGROUND: Systemic hypertension is a common clinical problem, often occurring in association with renal disease in cats. Limited information is available to assess the effect of blood pressure and the treatment of hypertension on survival.

HYPOTHESIS: That adequacy of blood pressure control is associated with the duration of survival in cats with systolic hypertension.

ANIMALS: One hundred and forty-one client-owned cats with systolic hypertension.

METHODS: Hypertensive cats were ...

BACKGROUND: Tubulointerstitial kidney disease is a common cause of illness and death in pet cats and is typically not associated with overt proteinuria.

HYPOTHESIS: Proteinuria would be independently related to survival in cats with renal failure, with or without hypertension.

ANIMALS: The study included 136 client-owned cats; 28 apparently normal, 14 hypertensive but not azotemic, 66 azotemic but not hypertensive, and 28 both hypertensive and azotemic.

METHODS: Cox's proportional ...

BACKGROUND: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is common in geriatric cats, but often appears to be stable for long periods of time.

OBJECTIVES: To describe CKD progression and identify risk factors for progression in newly diagnosed azotemic cats.

ANIMALS: A total of 213 cats with CKD (plasma creatinine concentration > 2 mg/dL, urine specific gravity < 1.035) were followed up until progression occurred or for at least 1 year; 132, 73, and 8 cats were in International Renal Interest Society ...

OBJECTIVES: In cats with concurrent hyperthyroidism and non-thyroidal illnesses such as chronic kidney disease, total thyroxine concentrations are often within the laboratory reference range (19 to 55 nmol/l). The objective of the study was to determine total thyroxine, free thyroxine and/or thyroid-stimulating hormone concentrations in cats with mild chronic kidney disease.

METHODS: Total thyroxine, free thyroxine and thyroid-stimulating hormone were measured in three groups. The ...

BACKGROUND: Fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF-23) and parathyroid hormone (PTH) are commonly increased in cats with azotemic chronic kidney disease (CKD). Both are predictors of survival time in human patients, but these relationships have not previously been examined in the cat.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the relationship between plasma FGF-23 and PTH concentrations at diagnosis of CKD in cats with survival time and with disease progression over 12 months.

ANIMALS: 214 azotemic, ...

BACKGROUND: The efficacy and benefits of telmisartan in cats with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have not previously been reported.

HYPOTHESIS: Long-term treatment of cats with CKD using telmisartan decreases urine protein-to-creatinine ratio (UP/C) similar to benazepril.

ANIMALS: Two-hundred and twenty-four client-owned adult cats with CKD.

METHODS: Prospective, multicenter, controlled, randomized, parallel group, blinded clinical trial with noninferiority design. Cats were allocated in a ...

BACKGROUND: Fibroblast growth factor (FGF-23) has an important role in phosphate regulation. Its clinical relevance in cats with CKD has not been explored previously.

HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: The study objectives were (1) to determine whether FGF-23 concentrations are increased in nonazotemic cats, cats which developed azotemia within 12 months of screening compared with cats that remained non-azotemic, and (2) to evaluate the relationships between FGF-23 and PTH and FGF-23 and glomerular ...

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Hyperthyroidism in cats, caused by nodular hyperplasia or adenomas, is clinically and histologically similar to toxic nodular goiter in humans. Subclinical hyperthyroidism in humans is defined as low thyrotropin (TSH) in conjunction with within-reference-range thyroid hormone concentrations, but has not previously been defined in cats. The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that euthyroid senior cats with low TSH have histological evidence of ...

BACKGROUND: Circulating natriuretic peptide concentrations are increased in cats with myocardial dysfunction.

HYPOTHESIS: Serum N-terminal fragment of proatrial natriuretic peptide (NT-proANP) and NT-probrain natriuretic peptide (proBNP) concentrations may predict the presence of heart disease (HD) and congestive heart failure (CHF). A positive relationship is also predicted among natriuretic peptide (NP) concentrations, a noninvasive estimate of left ventricular filling pressure ...

BACKGROUND: Fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF-23) is a phosphaturic hormone involved in the pathogenesis of secondary renal hyperparathyroidism (SRHP) in humans. There are no published studies examining feline FGF-23.

OBJECTIVES: Validation of a method for FGF-23 quantification in feline plasma and assessment of the associations among plasma FGF-23, PTH, creatinine, and phosphate concentrations in cats with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

ANIMALS: One hundred nonazotemic and azotemic ...

BACKGROUND: Fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF-23) is a phosphatonin, which is increased in cats with azotemic CKD. Dietary phosphate restriction decreases FGF-23 concentrations in humans and rodents, but this relationship has not previously been examined in the cat.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effect of feeding renal diet on plasma FGF-23 concentrations in cats with stable azotemic CKD.

ANIMALS: Azotemic, client-owned cats (≥ 9 years); 33 cats ate renal diet (RD group) and 11 cats did ...

BACKGROUND: Hyperthyroidism complicates the diagnosis of chronic kidney disease (CKD) as it increases glomerular filtration rate. No practical and reliable means for identifying those cats that will develop azotemia after treatment for hyperthyroidism has been identified. Hyperthyroidism is associated with proteinuria. Proteinuria has been correlated with decreased survival of cats with CKD and with progression of CKD.

HYPOTHESIS: Proteinuria and other clinical parameters measured at ...