Redox unbalance in the hyperthyroid cat: a comparison with healthy and non-thyroidal diseased cats - PubMed (original) (raw)

Comparative Study

Redox unbalance in the hyperthyroid cat: a comparison with healthy and non-thyroidal diseased cats

Alessia Candellone et al. BMC Vet Res. 2019.

Abstract

Background: Feline hyperthyroidism, the most common endocrinopathy in older cats, provides a spontaneous model for human thyrotoxicosis. Human thyrotoxicosis is associated with redox unbalance, which may result in organ damage. The redox status of hyperthyroid cats is largely unknown. The aims of the present study were to compare the redox status of cats with hyperthyroidism with that of healthy cats and cats with chronic non-thyroidal illness.

Results: Forty cats with untreated hyperthyroidism (group H), 45 chronically ill cats with non-thyroidal illness (group I), and 39 healthy cats (group C) were recruited for this observational cross-sectional study. All cats were screened for redox status markers. Determinable reactive oxygen metabolites (d-ROMs) were used as oxidative stress markers. Antioxidant status was determined using the OXY-Adsorbent test to quantify the plasma barrier to oxidation. The Oxidative Stress index (OSi) was calculated as the ratio of d-ROMs and OXY-Adsorbent test values. Data were compared by ANOVA with Tukey's multiple comparisons post-hoc test. The dROMs of group H (193 ± 47 CarrU) were significantly higher (p < 0.001) than those of the healthy cats (103 ± 17 CarrU). The OXY-Adsorbent test results in group H (265 ± 68 μmol HClO/ml) were significantly lower than those in healthy cats (390 ± 83 μmol HClO/ml; p < 0.01) and chronically ill cats (306 ± 45 μmol HClO/ml, p < 0.05). Moreover, the Osi value in group H (0.8 ± 0.2 CarrU/μmol HClO/ml) was significantly higher (p < 0.001) than that of the healthy cats (0.3 ± 0.1 CarrU/μmol HClO/ml).

Conclusions: As described in humans with hyperthyroidism, feline hyperthyroidism is associated with redox unbalance. Free radical production is increased in hyperthyroid cats and their antioxidant depletion seems to be more severe than in cats with non-thyroidal illnesses. Our results support the rationale for a clinical trial investigating the potential positive effects of antioxidant supplementation to cats with hyperthyroidism.

Keywords: Antioxidant status; Feline hyperthyroidism; Oxidative stress; Redox unbalance.

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Conflict of interest statement

All clinical manoeuvres in this study were performed in strict accordance with AAFP and ISFM Feline-Friendly Handling Guidelines [35], were approved by the local bioethical committee of Turin University (EC 2017/42) and carried out in accredited ISFM Cat Friendly Clinics or in cat-friendly environments. All efforts were made to minimize animal discomfort. A written informed consent to participate was obtained from all cat owners.

Not applicable.

Competing interests

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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Figures

Fig. 1

Fig. 1

Box-and-whisker plot of dROMs (determinable reactive oxygen metabolites) values in Groups C, H and I. The median is indicated by a horizontal line, the boxes indicate the second and third quartile, and the whiskers include 95% of the data. Different symbols (α, β) indicate differences between groups (p < 0.05)

Fig. 2

Fig. 2

Box-and-whisker plot of OXY-Adsorbent values in Groups C, H and I. The median is indicated by a horizontal line, the boxes indicate the second and third quartile, and the whiskers include 95% of the data. Different symbols (α, β, γ) indicate differences between groups (p < 0.05)

Fig. 3

Fig. 3

Box-and-whisker plot of OSi (oxidative stress index) values in Groups C, H and I. The median is indicated by a horizontal line, the boxes indicate the second and third quartile, and the whiskers include 95% of the data. Different symbols (α, β) indicate differences between groups (p < 0.05)

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