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. 2023 May;16(5):1114-1121.
doi: 10.14202/vetworld.2023.1114-1121. Epub 2023 May 27.

Ultrasonographic kidney length-to-abdominal aortic diameter for the diagnosis of feline chronic kidney disease: A preliminary study

Kotchapol Jaturanratsamee  1 , Nan Choisunirachon  1 , Kumpanart Soontornvipart  1 , Damri Darawiroj  2 , Naparee Srisowanna  3 , Chutimon Thanaboonnipat  1
Affiliations

Ultrasonographic kidney length-to-abdominal aortic diameter for the diagnosis of feline chronic kidney disease: A preliminary study

Kotchapol Jaturanratsamee et al. Vet World. 2023 May.

Abstract

Background and aim: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is one of the most important diseases in cats. This study aimed to compare the ultrasonographic kidney length-to-abdominal aortic diameter (K/AO) ratio between healthy and CKD cats and investigate the correlation between K/AO and blood results.

Materials and methods: Fifteen healthy cats and 15 CKD cats were included in this clinically prospective study. All cats were evaluated for radiographic and ultrasonographic K, radiographic K-to-second lumbar length ratio (K/L2), and K/AO, indirect systolic blood pressure and plasma creatinine (Cr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and symmetric dimethyl arginine (SDMA).

Results: The radiographic and ultrasonographic kidney lengths of CKD were significantly shorter than those of healthy cats (p < 0.05 and p < 0.05, respectively). The average K/L2 and K/AO were significantly lower in CKD than in healthy cats (p < 0.01 and p < 0.001, respectively). The K/AO had a strong negative correlation with plasma Cr (r = -0.7682, p < 0.0001), BUN (r = -0.6175, p < 0.001), and SDMA (r = -0.589, p < 0.001). However, K/L2 had a moderate negative correlation with plasma Cr (r = -0.5866, p < 0.001), BUN (r = -0.4884, p < 0.01), and SDMA (r = -0.5404, p < 0.01). The optimal cutoff value of K/AO (<10.71) had higher sensitivity and specificity than K/L2 for identifying feline CKD.

Conclusion: Kidney length-to-abdominal aortic diameter could be a better and more promising parameter than the K/L2 ratio for evaluating kidney size in cats with CKD.

Keywords: cats; chronic kidney disease; kidney length-to-abdominal aortic diameter; renal length; ultrasonography.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Figure-1
Figure-1
(a) The measurement of kidney length and (b) abdominal aorta diameter on sagittal plane.
Figure-2
Figure-2
(a) Radiographic average kidney length-to-second lumbar length ratio and (b) ultrasonographic average kidney length-to-abdominal aortic diameter ratio among healthy cats, cats with early and late International Renal Interest Society stages.
Figure-3
Figure-3
The linear regression graph of either kidney length-to-second lumbar length ratio (K/L2) or kidney length-to-abdominal aortic diameter (K/AO) and plasma concentrations of Creatinine (Cr) and Symmetric dimethyl arginine (SDMA). (a) Average K/L2 and plasma Cr concentration. (b) Average K/AO and plasma Cr concentration. (c) Average K/L2 ratio and SDMA. (d) Average K/AO and SDMA.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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