title: Effects of oral administration of N-acetyl-d-glucosamine on plasma and urine concentrations of glycosaminoglycans in cats with idiopathic cystitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effects of once-daily oral administration of N-acetyl-d-glucosamine (NAG) on plasma and urine glycosaminoglycan (GAG) concentrations in cats with idiopathic cystitis (IC).
  
  
  METHODS
  19 cats with IC and 10 clinically normal cats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cats with IC were randomly assigned to receive 250 mg of NAG in capsule form orally once daily for 28 days (n = 12) or a placebo (capsule containing cellulose) orally once daily for the same period (7). In cats with IC, plasma and urine GAG concentrations and urine creatinine concentration were measured on days 0 (immediately before first dose), 7, 14, 21, 28, and 56. For purposes of comparison, those variables were measured in 10 clinically normal cats on day 0.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean ± SEM urine GAG-to-creatinine concentration ratios (day 0 data) for cats with IC and clinically normal cats differed significantly (3.11 ± 0.62 μg/mL and 14.23 ± 3.47 μg/mL, respectively). For cats with IC, mean plasma GAG concentration in NAG-treated cats (39.96 ± 5.34 μg/mL) was higher than that in placebo-treated cats (24.20 ± 3.35 μg/mL) on day 21. In the NAG-treated cats, plasma GAG concentration on days 21 (39.96 ± 5.34 μg/mL) and 28 (39.91 ± 6.74 μg/mL) differed significantly from the day 0 concentration (27.46 ± 3.90μg/mL).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cats with IC have lower urinary GAG-to-creatinine concentration ratios than did clinically normal cats. Administration of NAG (250 mg, PO, q 24 h) significantly increased plasma GAG concentrations in cats with IC after 21 days of treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand. trosama71@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Jinnapat
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Panchaphanpong
authors.forename: Tanong
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Asawakarn
authors.forename: Rosama
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pusoonthornthum
mesh_terms: D000117:Acetylglucosamine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002415:Cats; D003556:Cystitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans / Q000097:blood* / Q000652:urine*; D008297:Male; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000737:chemistry; D014556:Urine / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D006025:Glycosaminoglycans; D000117:Acetylglucosamine