title: Subclinical airway inflammation despite high-dose oral corticosteroid therapy in cats with lower airway disease.
abstract: Management of feline chronic lower airway disease focuses on controlling clinical signs and decreasing airway inflammation. This retrospective study evaluated the correlation between the resolution of clinical signs in cats with lower airway disease receiving oral glucocorticoids with the resolution of inflammation based on bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) cytology. Ten cats diagnosed with lower airway disease based on characteristic clinical signs and inflammatory BALF cytology received oral glucocorticoids for at least 3 weeks. They were required to have resolution of clinical signs and BALF collected while asymptomatic and still receiving glucocorticoids. Cats received prednisolone or prednisone (average dose of 1.8±0.2mg/kg daily) for 35.7±5.5 days. Three cats had resolution of clinical signs and lacked inflammatory BALF cytology; seven had persistent inflammatory BALF cytology despite resolution of clinical signs. Given that subclinical inflammation during high-dose glucocorticoid treatment was common, current recommendations to taper therapy based on resolution of clinical signs should be re-evaluated.
authors.affiliation: Comparative Internal Medicine Laboratory, Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, 900 East Campus Drive, Columbia, MO 65211, USA.
authors.forename: Christine G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Cocayne
authors.forename: Carol R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Reinero
authors.forename: Amy E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: DeClue
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D029481:Bronchitis, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D002415:Cats; D005260:Female; D007249:Inflammation / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D008923:Missouri; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011241:Prednisone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D011239:Prednisolone; D011241:Prednisone