Factors Affecting the Outcome of Medical Treatment in Cats with Obstructive Ureteral Stones Treated with Tamsulosin: 70 Cases (2018-2022).

The incidence of diseases associated with feline ureteral obstruction is increasing; however, non-surgical treatment options are limited. This study evaluated the outcome of medical treatment in cats with obstructive ureteral stones treated with tamsulosin and identified potential factors predicting spontaneous stone passage. We retrospectively reviewed 70 client-owned cats treated at the Western Referral Animal Medical Center, Seoul, Korea, from 2018 to 2022. All the cats had obstructive ureterolithiasis and were treated using tamsulosin. The baseline characteristics of the cats, stone diameter and location, and stone passage outcomes were analyzed. Stone passage occurred in 22 cats; the remaining 48 cats showed no change in stone locations. Sex, creatinine, and diameter and location of stones were potential risk factors associated with successful stone passage, but age, weight, and side of the stone were not. No serious adverse events related to tamsulosin treatment were observed. This is the first study to identify the risk factors predictive of the spontaneous stone passage of cats with obstructive ureterolithiasis after tamsulosin treatment. Tamsulosin could be an alternative treatment for ureteral obstruction in male cats with smaller distal ureteral stones and low baseline serum creatinine levels. These findings could help develop guidelines for treating feline ureterolithiasis.

Acute cerebellar infarction associated with intravenous gammaglobulin treatment in idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura.

Intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIGs) are used for a variety of immunologic and hematologic disorders. Hemorheologic alteration or the rapid increase of platelet counts by IVIG administration can cause thrombotic adverse events. We present a 58-year-old woman with a previous diagnosis of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura who developed cerebellar infarction immediately after IVIG treatment. We discuss a possible role of IVIG in cerebral ischemia and management strategies.

Independent association of serum retinol and ß-carotene levels with hyperuricemia: A national population study.

OBJECTIVE: Uses of synthetic vitamin A derivatives (e.g., isotretinoin used for severe acne) and high doses of preformed vitamin A have been implicated in the pathogenesis of hyperuricemia and gout, whereas a trial reported that ß-carotene may lower serum uric acid (UA) levels. We evaluated the potential population impact of these factors on serum UA in a nationally representative sample of US adults. METHODS: Using data from 14,349 participants ages ≥20 years in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1988-1994), we examined the relationship between serum retinol, ß-carotene, and UA levels using weighted linear regression. Additionally, we examined the relationship with hyperuricemia using weighted logistic regression. RESULTS: Serum UA levels increased linearly with increasing serum retinol levels, whereas serum UA levels decreased with increasing serum ß-carotene levels. After adjusting for age, sex, dietary factors, and other potential confounders, the serum UA level differences from the bottom (referent) to the top quintiles of serum retinol levels were 0, 0.16, 0.32, 0.43, and 0.71 mg/dl (P for trend <0.001), and for ß-carotene were 0, -0.15, -0.29, -0.27, and -0.40 mg/dl (P for trend <0.001), respectively. Similarly, the multivariate odds ratios of hyperuricemia from the bottom (referent) to top quintiles of serum retinol levels were 1.00, 1.30, 1.83, 2.09, and 3.22 (P for trend <0.001) and for ß-carotene were 1.00, 0.85, 0.68, 0.73, and 0.54 (P for trend <0.001), respectively. The graded associations persisted across subgroups according to cross-classification by both serum retinol and ß-carotene levels. CONCLUSION: These nationally representative data raise concerns that vitamin A supplementation and food fortification may contribute to the high frequency of hyperuricemia in the US population, whereas ß-carotene intake may be beneficial against hyperuricemia. The use of ß-carotene as a novel preventive treatment for gout deserves further investigation.