Feline Hyperthyroidism and Kidney Disease

Williams T, Elliott J, Syme H: Association of iatrogenic hypothyroidism with azotemia and reduced survival time in cats treated for hyperthyroidism, J Vet Intern Med 24:1086, 2010.

Within 6 months of treatment of hyperthyroidism, 17-49% of cats develop azotemia. Treatment to restore euthyroidism in cats results in a decrease in renal glomerular filtration rate (GFR) which can lead to the development of azotemia if underlying chronic renal disease (CRD) is present. Antithyroid treatment could lead to iatrogenic hypothyroidism and hypothyroidism has been correlated with reduced GFR. The authors performed two retrospective studies. The first study was of 12 hyperthyroid cats treated with radioiodine and documented as euthyroid after treatment where changes were assessed in plasma thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) concentration over a 6-month follow-up period. The second study was of 75 hyperthyroid cats, documented as euthyroid, that were monitored 6 months after starting treatment to identify the relationship between thyroid status and the development of azotemia. Plasma TSH concentrations were not suppressed in 7 of 8 cats with hypothyroidism 3 months after radioiodine treatment. The study concluded that cats with iatrogenic hypothyroidism were more likely to develop azotemia within 6 months after treatment for hyperthyroidism than cats defined as euthyroid. Hypothyroid cats with azotemia had shorter survival times than non-azotemic cats.  There was no difference in survival times of euthyroid cats with or without azotemia.  [VT]

Related articles:
Williams TL, Peak KJ, Brodbelt D et al: Survival and the development of azotemia after treatment of hyperthyroid cats, J Vet Intern Med 24:863, 2010.

More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library
Join us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter

Williams T, Elliott J, Syme H: Association of iatrogenic hypothyroidism with azotemia and reduced survival time in cats treated for hyperthyroidism, J Vet Intern Med 24:1086, 2010.

Within 6 months of treatment of hyperthyroidism, 17-49% of cats develop azotemia. Treatment to restore euthyroidism in cats results in a decrease in renal glomerular filtration rate (GFR) which can lead to the development of azotemia if underlying chronic renal disease (CRD) is present. Antithyroid treatment could lead to iatrogenic hypothyroidism and hypothyroidism has been correlated with reduced GFR. The authors performed two retrospective studies. The first study was of 12 hyperthyroid cats treated with radioiodine and documented as euthyroid after treatment where changes were assessed in plasma thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) concentration over a 6-month follow-up period. The second study was of 75 hyperthyroid cats, documented as euthyroid, that were monitored 6 months after starting treatment to identify the relationship between thyroid status and the development of azotemia. Plasma TSH concentrations were not suppressed in 7 of 8 cats with hypothyroidism 3 months after radioiodine treatment. The study concluded that cats with iatrogenic hypothyroidism were more likely to develop azotemia within 6 months after treatment for hyperthyroidism than cats defined as euthyroid. Hypothyroid cats with azotemia had shorter survival times than non-azotemic cats.  There was no difference in survival times of euthyroid cats with or without azotemia.  [VT]

Related articles:
Williams TL, Peak KJ, Brodbelt D et al: Survival and the development of azotemia after treatment of hyperthyroid cats, J Vet Intern Med 24:863, 2010.

More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library
Join us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter

Read More

Alcohol Damages Much More Than The Liver

Newswise — Alcohol does much more harm to the body than just damaging the liver. Drinking also can weaken the immune system, slow healing, impair bone formation, increase the risk of HIV transmission and hinder recovery from burns, trauma, bleeding and surgery.

Researchers will release the latest findings on such negative effects of alcohol during a meeting Nov. 19 of the Alcohol and Immunology Research Interest Group at Loyola University Medical Center.

At Loyola, about 50 faculty members, technicians, post-doctoral fellows and students are conducting alcohol research. Studies at Loyola and other centers could lead to therapies to boost the immune system or otherwise minimize the effects of alcohol, said Elizabeth J. Kovacs, PhD, director of Loyola's Alcohol Research Program and associate director of Loyola's Burn & Shock Trauma Institute.

"Of course, the best way to prevent the damaging effects of alcohol is to not drink in the first place," Kovacs said. "But it is very difficult to get people to do this."

Sessions at the conference include Alcohol and Infection, Alcohol and Oxidative Stress and Alcohol and Organ Inflammation. Findings will be presented by researchers from centers around the country, including Loyola, Cleveland Clinic, University of Iowa, University of Colorado, University of Massachusetts, Mississippi State University, Chicago State University and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA).

The conference is supported by Loyola's Alcohol Research Program and Department of Surgery at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, the Society for Leukocyte Biology and the NIAAA.

Newswise — Alcohol does much more harm to the body than just damaging the liver. Drinking also can weaken the immune system, slow healing, impair bone formation, increase the risk of HIV transmission and hinder recovery from burns, trauma, bleeding and surgery.

Researchers will release the latest findings on such negative effects of alcohol during a meeting Nov. 19 of the Alcohol and Immunology Research Interest Group at Loyola University Medical Center.

At Loyola, about 50 faculty members, technicians, post-doctoral fellows and students are conducting alcohol research. Studies at Loyola and other centers could lead to therapies to boost the immune system or otherwise minimize the effects of alcohol, said Elizabeth J. Kovacs, PhD, director of Loyola's Alcohol Research Program and associate director of Loyola's Burn & Shock Trauma Institute.

"Of course, the best way to prevent the damaging effects of alcohol is to not drink in the first place," Kovacs said. "But it is very difficult to get people to do this."

Sessions at the conference include Alcohol and Infection, Alcohol and Oxidative Stress and Alcohol and Organ Inflammation. Findings will be presented by researchers from centers around the country, including Loyola, Cleveland Clinic, University of Iowa, University of Colorado, University of Massachusetts, Mississippi State University, Chicago State University and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA).

The conference is supported by Loyola's Alcohol Research Program and Department of Surgery at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, the Society for Leukocyte Biology and the NIAAA.

Read More

Exercise May Reduce Rick of Edometrial Cancer

Newswise — Women who exercise for 150 minutes a week or more may see a reduced risk of endometrial cancer, despite whether or not they are overweight, according to data presented at the Ninth Annual AACR Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Conference, held here Nov. 7-10, 2010.

“This study is consistent with other studies that strongly support the association between physical activity and lower risk of endometrial cancer,” said Hannah Arem, a doctoral student at Yale School of Public Health.

Arem and colleagues examined data collected from a case-control study led by Herbert Yu, M.D., M.Sc., Ph.D., associate professor at Yale School of Public Health. The study included 668 women with endometrial cancer and compared them to 665 age-matched control women.

Those who exercised for 150 minutes a week or more had a 34 percent reduced risk of endometrial cancer compared with those women who were inactive.

This association was more pronounced among active women with a body mass index (BMI) less than 25, or underweight women, where the reduction in risk was 73 percent compared with inactive women with a BMI more than 25, or what is commonly considered overweight.

Although BMI showed a strong association with endometrial cancer, even women who were overweight, but still active, had a 52 percent lower risk.

“Clearly, programs should be in place to increase the level of physical activity in women,” said Arem.

Newswise — Women who exercise for 150 minutes a week or more may see a reduced risk of endometrial cancer, despite whether or not they are overweight, according to data presented at the Ninth Annual AACR Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Conference, held here Nov. 7-10, 2010.

“This study is consistent with other studies that strongly support the association between physical activity and lower risk of endometrial cancer,” said Hannah Arem, a doctoral student at Yale School of Public Health.

Arem and colleagues examined data collected from a case-control study led by Herbert Yu, M.D., M.Sc., Ph.D., associate professor at Yale School of Public Health. The study included 668 women with endometrial cancer and compared them to 665 age-matched control women.

Those who exercised for 150 minutes a week or more had a 34 percent reduced risk of endometrial cancer compared with those women who were inactive.

This association was more pronounced among active women with a body mass index (BMI) less than 25, or underweight women, where the reduction in risk was 73 percent compared with inactive women with a BMI more than 25, or what is commonly considered overweight.

Although BMI showed a strong association with endometrial cancer, even women who were overweight, but still active, had a 52 percent lower risk.

“Clearly, programs should be in place to increase the level of physical activity in women,” said Arem.

Read More