Erika Meler, DVM, MS
|
In this cross-sectional study, sera from 57 dogs with epilepsy that had been treated for at least three months with either
phenobarbital (group 1, n = 28) or phenobarbital and potassium bromide (group 2, n = 29) were compared with sera from 57 healthy
control dogs that matched the epileptic dogs in age, breed, sex, neuter status, and body condition score. Serum triglyceride,
cholesterol, phenobarbital, and total thyroxine concentrations were measured, and canine-specific pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity
(cPLI) was determined. Owners had withheld food for at least 12 hours before sampling. Nine of the epileptic dogs (16%) had
a history of pancreatitis.
Barrak Pressler, DVM, PhD, DACVIM
|
Fasting serum triglyceride concentrations were significantly higher in both group 1 and group 2 than in the control group;
25% of dogs in group 1 and 41% of dogs in group 2 had fasting serum triglyceride concentrations greater than the reference
range established by using the control dogs. Fasting serum triglyceride concentrations did not correlate with either the phenobarbital
dose or serum phenobarbital concentration but did correlate with the patient's body condition score (fasting serum triglyceride
concentration increased as the body condition score increased). The epileptic dogs with a history of pancreatitis were 2.2
times more likely to be hypertriglyceridemic than were the epileptic dogs without a history of pancreatitis. Serum cholesterol
concentrations were not significantly different among the three groups. Increased cPLI was present in 27% (nine of 33) of
the epileptic dogs, although none of the dogs had clinical signs of pancreatitis. Finally, serum total thyroxine concentration
was negatively correlated to serum phenobarbital concentration.
COMMENTARY
Lipemic serum in dogs is usually due to hypertriglyceridemia. Hypertriglyceridemia in dogs has been associated with obesity,
postprandial sampling, pancreatitis, diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism, hyperadrenocorticism, and cholestatic liver disease.
Other causes may include long-term glucocorticoid administration or a high-fat or high-carbohydrate diet.
This study demonstrates that epileptic dogs treated with phenobarbital alone or in combination with potassium bromide are
more likely to be hypertriglyceridemic. Hypertriglyceridemia has previously been hypothesized to be a risk factor for developing
pancreatitis. Thus, although not answered by this study, epileptic patients with hypertriglyceridemia secondary to treatment
should be monitored for development of pancreatitis, and epileptic patients with previously diagnosed pancreatitis should
be monitored for development of hypertriglyceridemia.
Kluger EK, Malik R, Ilkin WJ, et al. Serum triglyceride concentration in dogs with epilepsy treated with phenobarbital or
with phenobarbital and bromide. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2008;233(8):1270-1277.
The information in "Research Updates" was provided by Erika Meler, DVM, MS, and Barrak Pressler, DVM, PhD, DACVIM, Department
of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907.
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