Small Animal Internal Medicine Resident Cornell University Ithaca, New York, United States
Abstract: Background – Serum vitamin 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) decreases occur throughout hospital stays in people. Several veterinary studies found that decreased blood 25(OH)D levels were associated with mortality.
Hypothesis/Objectives – Low serum 25(OH)D and 1,25(OH)2D concentrations are associated with mortality and negatively correlate with acute-phase protein (APP) in ill dogs and cats admitted to nursing care units.
Animals – Client-owned dogs (n = 77) and cats (n = 17) admitted to two academic veterinary hospital nursing care units.
Methods – A diagnostic lab measured 25(OH)D, 1,25(OH)2D and haptoglobin in dogs and cats, C-reactive protein (CRP) in dogs, and serum amyloid A (SAA) in cats. Serum was collected within 12 hours of admission. Illness severity (APPLEfast) scores and survival data were recorded. Cox proportional hazard and correlation matrix (Spearman r) analyses were applied, and P < 0.05 established significance.
Results – Mortality hazard ratios were approximately 1 for 25(OH)D, 1,25(OH)2D, and APP. In dogs, haptoglobin negatively correlated with 25(OH)D (P = 0.004, r = -0.38) and 1,25(OH)2D (P = 0.001, r = -0.28). APPLEfast scores positively correlated with CRP (P = 0.001, r = 0.32). In cats, APPLEfast scores negatively correlated with 1,25(OH)2D (p=0.040, r = -0.51). SAA was negatively correlated with 25(OH)D (P = 0.027, r = -0.2).
Conclusions and clinical importance – Serum 25(OH)D or 1,25(OH)2D were not associated with mortality in our mixed nursing care population. Relationships between APP and serum vitamin D metabolites with APPLEfast scores in cats suggest promise as illness severity biomarkers that warrant further investigation.
