Comparison of echocardiography, biomarkers and taurine concentrations in cats eating high- or low-pulse diets
- PMID: 36803067
- PMCID: PMC10812079
- DOI: 10.1177/1098612X231154859
Comparison of echocardiography, biomarkers and taurine concentrations in cats eating high- or low-pulse diets
Abstract
Objectives: There are ongoing investigations into diet-associated dilated cardiomyopathy in dogs, but there has been minimal investigation into possible diet-associated dilated cardiomyopathy in cats. The objective of this study was to compare cardiac size and function, cardiac biomarkers and taurine concentrations in healthy cats eating high- vs low-pulse diets. We hypothesized that cats eating high-pulse diets would have larger hearts, lower systolic function and higher biomarker concentrations than cats eating low-pulse diets and that there would be no difference in taurine concentrations between the diet groups.
Methods: Echocardiographic measurements, cardiac biomarkers, and plasma and whole-blood taurine concentrations were compared between cats eating high- and low-pulse commercial dry diets in a cross-sectional study.
Results: There were no differences between the high- (n = 21) and low-pulse (n = 31) diet groups with regard to age, sex and breed, but more cats in the high-pulse group were overweight or obese (67% vs 39%; P = 0.05). Diet duration was not different in the groups, but the range was wide (6-120 months). No differences were found between the diet groups for key cardiac measurements, biomarker concentrations, or plasma or whole-blood taurine concentrations. However, there were significant negative correlations between diet duration and measures of left ventricular wall thickness in the high-pulse, but not the low-pulse, diet group.
Conclusions and relevance: This study did not detect significant associations between high-pulse diets and cardiac size, function and biomarkers, but the secondary observation of significant negative correlations between time on high-pulse diets and left ventricular wall thickness warrants further evaluation.
Keywords: Cardiomyopathy; cardiology; grain-free; heart disease; nutrition; pulses.
Conflict of interest statement
In the last 3 years, Dr Freeman has received research or residency funding from, given sponsored lectures for or provided professional services for Aratana Therapeutics, Elanco, Guiding Stars Licensing Co, Nestlé Purina PetCare, P&G Petcare (now Mars) and Royal Canin. In the last 3 years, Dr Rush has received research funding from, given sponsored lectures for, or provided professional services for Aratana Therapeutics, Boehringer Ingelheim, Elanco, IDEXX, Nestlé Purina PetCare and Royal Canin.
Figures
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