Search

Background: Neutralizing antibodies against nerve growth factor (NGF) are analgesic in rodent models, naturally occurring degenerative joint disease (DJD) pain in dogs, and chronic pain in humans., Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy of a fully felinized anti-NGF antibody (NV-02) for the treatment of DJD pain and mobility impairment in cats., Animals: Thirty-four client-owned cats with DJD-associated pain and mobility impairment., Methods: In a placebo-controlled, pilot, masked clinical study, cats were randomized to a single treatment with NV-02 (0.4 mg/kg SC [n = 11] or 0.8 mg/kg SC [n = 12]) or placebo (saline, SC [n = 11]). Activity was measured objectively. Additionally, owners completed clinical metrology instruments (client-specific outcome measures [CSOM] and feline musculoskeletal pain index [FMPI]) on days 0 (screening), 14 (baseline), 35, 56, and 77. A repeated-measures model was used to evaluate the objective activity data., Results: NV-02 significantly increased objectively measured activity overall (P = .017) and at 2 (P = .035), 3 (P = .007), 4 (P = .006), 5 (P = .007), and 6 (P = .017) weeks after treatment. CSOM scores (P = .035) and pain (P = .024) showed a significant effect of treatment 3 weeks after administration. In the treatment group, 83% of the owners correctly identified the treatment administered compared with 45% of owners in the placebo group (P = .013). No treatment-related adverse effects were identified., Conclusions: These pilot data demonstrate a 6-week duration positive analgesic effect of this fully felinized anti-NGF antibody in cats suffering from DJD-associated pain., (Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.)

Background: Recently, a potential association was identified between Bartonella exposure and arthritides in mammalian species other than cats., Hypothesis/objectives: We hypothesized that Bartonella exposure is associated with more severe degenerative joint disease (DJD) and a greater burden of DJD-associated pain in client-owned cats., Animals: Ninety-four client-owned cats (6 months to 20 years old), ranging from clinically unaffected to severely lame because of DJD., Methods: Using physical examination and radiography, pain and radiographic scores were assigned to each part of the bony skeleton. Sera were tested for Bartonella henselae, B. koehlerae, and B. vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii (genotypes I, II, and III) antibodies using immunofluorescence antibody assays. Variables were categorized and logistic regression used to explore associations., Results: Seropositivity to Bartonella was identified in 33 (35.1%) cats. After multivariate analysis controlling for age, total DJD score (OR, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.26-0.97; P = .042), appendicular pain score (OR, 0.33; 95% CI, 0.17-0.65; P = .0011), and total pain score (OR, 0.35; 95% CI, 0.17-0.72; P = .0045) were significantly inversely associated with Bartonella seroreactivity status, indicating that cats with higher DJD and pain scores were less likely to be Bartonella seropositive., Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Based upon this preliminary study, Bartonella spp. seropositivity was associated with decreased severity of DJD and decreased DJD-associated pain in cats. Additional studies are needed to verify these findings, and if verified, to explore potential mechanisms., (Copyright © 2014 by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.)

Background: Detection of clinically relevant pain relief in cats with degenerative joint disease (DJD) is complicated by a lack of validated outcome measures and a placebo effect., Hypothesis/objectives: To evaluate a novel approach for detection of pain relief in cats with DJD., Animals: Fifty-eight client-owned cats., Methods: Prospective, double-masked, placebo-controlled, stratified, randomized, clinical study. Enrolled cats were 6-21 years of age, with owner-observed mobility impairment, evidence of pain in at least 2 joints during orthopedic examination, and overlapping radiographic evidence of DJD, and underwent a 2-week baseline period, 3-week treatment period with placebo or meloxicam, and 3-week masked washout period. Outcome measures were evaluated at days 0, 15, 36, and 57., Results: Both groups significantly improved after the treatment period (day 36) on client-specific outcome measures (CSOM) and feline musculoskeletal pain index (FMPI) (P < .0001 for both); there was no difference between the groups on CSOM or FMPI score improvement. After the masked washout period, more cats that received meloxicam during the treatment period had a clinically relevant decrease in CSOM score (P = .048) and FMPI score (P = .021) than cats that received placebo., Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Using both a client-specific and a general clinical metrology instrument, owners of cats with DJD were able to detect evident recurrence of clinical signs after withdrawal of active medication than after withdrawal of placebo, and that this study design might be a novel and useful way to circumvent the placebo effect and detect the efficacy of pain-relieving medications., (Copyright © 2014 by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.)