Prevalence and Clinicopathological Features of Triaditis in a Prospective Case Series of Symptomatic and Asymptomatic Cats.
BACKGROUND
The term triaditis designates the concurrent presence of idiopathic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), cholangitis, and pancreatitis in cats.


OBJECTIVE
The histopathology of concurrent, but often subclinical, inflammatory processes in the small intestine, liver, and pancreas of cats is poorly described. We aimed to investigate the frequency of enteritis, cholangitis, pancreatitis, or some combination of these in symptomatic and asymptomatic cats, compare clinicopathological features, and correlate histopathological with laboratory findings.


METHODS
Domestic cats (27 symptomatic, 20 asymptomatic, and 8 normal).


METHODS
Prospective study. Physical examination, laboratory variables (CBC, serum biochemistry profile, serum thyroxine concentration, serum feline trypsin-like immunoreactivity [fTLI], feline lipase immunoreactivity [fPLI, as measured by Spec fPL(®) ], urinalysis, and fecal analysis), imaging, and histopathological examinations were conducted. Feline liver, pancreas, and small intestine were biopsied during laparotomy.


RESULTS
Inflammatory lesions were detected in 47 cats (27 symptomatic, 20 asymptomatic). In total, 20 cats had histopathologic lesions of IBD (13/47, 27.7%), cholangitis (6/47, 12.8%), or pancreatitis (1/47, 2.1%) alone, or inflammation involving >1 organ (27/47, 57.4%). More specifically, 16/47 cats (34.0%) had concurrent lesions of IBD and cholangitis, 3/47 (6.4%) of IBD and pancreatitis, and 8/47 cats (17%) of triaditis. Triaditis was identified only in symptomatic cats (8/27, 29.6%). A mild, positive correlation was detected between the severity (score) of IBD lesions and the number of comorbidities (rho = +0.367, P = .022).


CONCLUSIONS
Histopathological evidence of IBD or IBD with comorbidities was detected in both symptomatic and asymptomatic cats. The possibility of triaditis should be considered in symptomatic cats with severe IBD.
Medicine Unit, Companion Animal Clinic, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
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FC
Fragkou
Medicine Unit, Companion Animal Clinic, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
K K
KK
Adamama-Moraitou
Laboratory of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
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Poutahidis
Surgery and Obstetrics Unit, Companion Animal Clinic, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
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Prassinos
Diagnostic Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
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M
Kritsepi-Konstantinou
Gastrointestinal Laboratory, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA.
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PG
Xenoulis
Gastrointestinal Laboratory, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA.
J M
JM
Steiner
Gastrointestinal Laboratory, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA.
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JA
Lidbury
Gastrointestinal Laboratory, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA.
J S
JS
Suchodolski
Medicine Unit, Companion Animal Clinic, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
T S
TS
Rallis
D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D002415:Cats; D002761:Cholangitis / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*
Cat; Cholangitis; Inflammatory Bowel Disease; Pancreatitis