Open AccessEfficacy of intramuscular hydroxocobalamin supplementation in cats with cobalamin deficiency and gastrointestinal disease
Author(s) -
Kook Peter H.,
Melliger Roger H.,
Hersberger Martin
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of veterinary internal medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.356
H-Index - 103
eISSN - 1939-1676
pISSN - 0891-6640
DOI - 10.1111/jvim.15865
Subject(s) - medicine , hydroxocobalamin , cobalamin , cats , methylmalonic acid , vomiting , gastroenterology , diarrhea , nausea , vitamin b12 , reference range , endocrinology , cyanocobalamin
Background In humans, absorption and tissue retention rates of intramuscularly administered hydroxocobalamin (OH‐Cbl) are superior compared to cyanocobalamin (CN‐Cbl). Supplementation with OH‐Cbl has not been described in cats. Objectives To evaluate effects of parenteral OH‐Cbl supplementation on clinical signs, serum Cbl and methylmalonic acid (MMA) concentrations in hypocobalaminemic cats with gastrointestinal disease. Animals Twenty‐three client‐owned cats. Methods Prospective study. Serum Cbl and MMA concentrations were determined at enrollment (t0), immediately before the 4th OH‐Cbl IM injection (300 μg, given q2 weeks) (t1), and 4 weeks after the 4th injection (t2). Severity of clinical signs (activity, appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, body weight) was graded at each time point and expressed as clinical disease activity score. Results Median clinical disease activity score decreased significantly from t0 (6; range, 2‐10) to t1 (1; range, 0‐6) and t2 (1; range, 0‐9). Median serum Cbl concentration increased significantly from 111 pmol/L (range, 111‐218; reference range, 225‐1451 pmol/L) at t0 to 1612 pmol/L (range, 526‐14 756) ( P < .001) at t1, and decreased again significantly to 712 pmol/L (range, 205‐4265) ( P < .01) at t2. Median baseline serum MMA concentration at t0 (802 nmol/L; range, 238‐151 000; reference range, 120‐420 nmol/L) decreased significantly ( P < .001) to 199 nmol/L (range, 29‐478) at t1, and was 205 nmol/L (range, 88‐734) at t2. Serum MMA concentrations normalized in 22/23 cats at t1, and were not significantly higher at t2 compared to t1. Conclusions and Clinical Importance The herein described OH‐Cbl injection scheme appears efficacious for normalization of cellular Cbl deficiency in cats with gastrointestinal disease.