Basal glucosuria in cats

Abstract

Objective of this study was to demonstrate the ubiquitous presence of glucose in urine of euglycemic cats by a highly sensitive glucose assay. The local electronic database was searched for results of quantitative urine glucose measurements in cats. A total of 325 feline urine glucose measurements were identified, of which 303 (93%) had been submitted by one of the co‐authors working in a near‐by small animal practice. After the exclusion of patients with kidney disease (n = 60), hyperthyroidism (n = 15), diabetes mellitus (n = 11), multiple diseases (n = 9) or steroid treatment (n = 3), as well as serial measurements (n = 87) and outliers (n = 8), the final study population consisted of 132 cats. Urine creatinine concentration was unavailable in five patients. Whereas all but one cat had glucose concentrations above the detection limit of the assay (0.11 mmol/L, Gluco‐quant Enzyme Kit/Roche Diagnostics), no positive glucose dipstick test result (Combur 9‐Test, Roche Diagnostics) was observed. The median (range) of urinary glucose concentration and the glucose‐to‐creatinine ratio (UGCR) was 0.389 (<0.11–1.665) mmol/L and 0.0258 (0.007–0.517) respectively. The UGCR was not affected by age, gender, breed or leukocyturia, whereas cats with hematuria had slightly higher values. Data show that so‐called “basal glucosuria” is present in the majority of cats and by no means diagnostic for diabetes mellitus or renal glucosuria. This has to be considered when using bio‐analytical methods with a low limit of quantification.

Semiquantitative Glukosemessungen in Katzenharnproben und in mit Harn verklumpter Einstreu

“…Studien bei der Katze stehen aus. Da bei nicht azotämischen, euthyreoten, normoglykämischen Katzen eine Harnglukosekonzentration von 1,48 mmol/l (26,675 mg/dl) nur ausnahmsweise überschritten wird [28], sprechen positive Glukosebefunde bei Verwendung der derzeit für die Katze validierten Harnteststreifen Multistix (Bayer [8]), Aution 10PA und 10EA (Arkray [6]) sowie Combur9 Test ® (Roche [12]) für eine Hyperglykämie oder renale Glukosurie. Betont werden muss, dass auch eine stressassoziierte Hyperglykämie zu positiven Harnglukosebefunden führen kann.…”

“…Übereinstimmung der semiquantitativen Harnglukosemessungen mit den Ergebnissen der Laborreferenzmethode zur Diagnose einer pathologischen Glukosurie > 1,48 mmol/l (> 26,675 mg/dl)[28]. ▶Table 2 Agreement of the semiquantitative urine glucose measurements with the results of the laboratory reference method to diagnose pathological glucosuria > 1.48 mmol/l (> 26.675 mg/dl)[28].…”

Feline obesity and diabetes: a One Health perspective.

“…Glucose is ubiquitously present in the urine of euglycaemic cats [22] and therefore cannot be relied on in the diagnosis or monitoring of feline diabetes. In the absence of stress, fasting blood glucose values do not exceed 7 mmol/l in cats and it has been proposed that 'persistent values above this are diagnostic, if supported by documentation of elevated fructosamine or glycosylated haemoglobin, regardless of clinical signs' [23].…”

Basal glucose excretion in dogs: The impact of feeding, obesity, sex, and age

“…False‐positive dry reagent strip results (“pseudoglucosuria”) can be caused by antibiotics such as cephalexin, 11 contamination by disinfectants such as hydrogen peroxide, 12 and prolonged exposure of the reagent strips to air 13 . It is noteworthy that experimental blood contamination caused by adding euglycemic blood samples onto strips had no significant effect on UG scores 14 .…”

“…The objectives of this study were to determine whether basal glucose excretion is habitually detectable in the urine of nondiabetic dogs when analyzed by a sensitive automated wet chemistry method. The scientific background was, that urine of humans and cats is rarely free of glucose, and glucose concentrations up to 1.4 mmol/L [25 mg/dL] and 1.5 mmol/L [26.7 mg/dL], respectively, are considered physiologic 12,17,18 Additionally the effects of possible influencing factors, including food intake, obesity, sex, and age were investigated.…”