Non-Renal Lesions of Uraemia in Domestic Cats

Clinical expression of microRNA-144-5p and its regulatory effect on renal function in uremia

OBJECTIVE

The study commits to probing the clinical expression of microRNA-144-5p (miR-144-5p) and its modulatory effect on the renal function of uremia.

METHODS

Levels of blood urea nitrogen (BUN), β2-microglobulin (β2-MG), serum creatinine (Scr), blood calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), and intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) and miR-144-5p expression in serum of uremia patients were detected. The correlation among miR-144-5p expression with BUN, β2-MG, Scr, Ca, P, and iPTH levels in uremic patients was analyzed. The rats were injected with miR-144-5p agomir to detect the change of BUN, Scr, β2-MG, Scr, Ca, P, and iPTH levels in uremic rats.

RESULTS

miR-144-5p expression in uremic patients was negatively correlated with BUN, Scr, β2-MG, P, and iPTH levels, and positively correlated with free Ca concentration in blood. miR-144-5p elevation reduced BUN, Scr, β2-MG, P, and iPTH levels, and increased free Ca concentration in blood in uremic rats.

CONCLUSION

miR-144-5p is lowly expressed, and miR-144-5p has a regulatory effect on renal function in uremia.

Flash pulmonary oedema associated with paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia: report of two cases

Case summary

We describe two cats that had episodic tachypnoea and increased respiratory effort during periods of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (SVT). Thoracic radiographs at the time of clinical signs were consistent with cardiogenic pulmonary oedema. Echocardiography following stabilisation revealed a hypertrophic cardiomyopathy phenotype with normal left atrial size in both cats. The first cat was initially treated with diltiazem, but this did not reduce the frequency of the clinical episodes. Diltiazem was switched to atenolol and the cat remained well without further recurrence. At the time of writing, the cat was reported to be well, 3 years after the initial diagnosis of SVT. The second cat was first managed with diltiazem and was then transitioned to atenolol due to recurrent clinical episodes. The episodes were less frequent with atenolol but still present. Therefore, atenolol was changed to sotalol. The cat remained well on sotalol for 2 years with only one recurrent episode during a painful event. The patient then suffered a sudden cardiac death, 5 years after the initial diagnosis of SVT.

Relevance and novel information

To our knowledge, this is the first report that describes flash pulmonary oedema developing secondary to episodic paroxysmal SVT in cats. Despite the severity and speed of respiratory compromise, prognosis may be good with an adequate arrhythmia control.

Severe Spontaneous Atherosclerosis in two Korat Breed Cats is Comparable to Human Atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory vascular disease and the leading cause of mortality in humans worldwide. In most domestic animal species, however, primary atherosclerosis is of little clinical relevance. Cats are considered to be atheroresistant and, to our knowledge, spontaneous atherosclerosis has not been reported in cats. Here we report the clinical and histopathological findings in two related cats of the Korat breed that presented with clinical signs of heart failure. In both cases, the clinical signs appeared in adulthood, were progressive and led to death. At necropsy, severe atherosclerotic lesions were present in large and medium-sized arteries and were characterized by the formation of a fibrous cap and a lipid core, which contained a particularly large accumulation of cholesterol crystals, as indicated by the presence of many cholesterol clefts. The lesions closely resembled those of advanced human atherosclerosis. There were no underlying diseases or medical treatments that could have predisposed to the atherosclerosis in these two genetically related cats. A genetic predisposition to human-like atherosclerosis in the local Korat cat population is suspected.