The silicon concentration in cat urine and its relationship with other elements

Abstract

To understand the effects of silicon (Si) in the urine with respect to the formation of urinary stones, the distribution of Si in urine was observed. Urine samples from cats with urolithiasis (n=10) and healthy cats (n=15) were used. The concentration of Si in the cats with urolithiasis was significantly higher (P<0.001). A significant correlation (P<0.05) was observed between the concentration of Si and those of other elements, such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and iron, only in the urine of the healthy cats. The distribution of elements in the urine differed between the cats with urolithiasis and the healthy cats. The Si concentration and its relationship with other elements were suggested to be useful biomarkers for urolithiasis in cats.

Fig. 1.

The concentrations (µg/ml) of elements in the urine of healthy cats (n=15, white square in the figure) and cats with urolithiasis (n=10, dotted square in the figure). The concentrations of Ca, Mg and Si were not shown in our previous reports, although the data for K, Na, P and S were presented in our previous report [7]. Black square; outlier, black circle; median.

Fig. 2.

The correlation between the concentrations of Si and Ca in the urine of cats: healthy cats (empty squares and dotted line, n=15) and cats with urolithiasis (filled squares, n=10).

Fig. 3.

The correlation between the concentrations of Si and S in the urine of cats: healthy cats (empty squares and dotted line, n=15) and cats with urolithiasis (filled squares and solid line, n=10).

Fig. 4.

The relationships between multiple elements after logarithmic transformation. The combinations of S-K (empty triangles), S-P (circles), P-K (squares), P-Si (asterisks), K-Si (filled triangles) and S-Si (crosses) are shown. The first variable of each pair is measured on the abscissa axis and the second on the ordinate axis.