Contact
Emma Strage
Clinical Veterinarian at the University Animal Hospital; Clinical Chemistry laboratory
Telephone: 018-671614
E-mail: emma.strage@slu.se
SLU's knowledge bank
Effect of insulin on IGF-I in cats with diabetes mellitus
Last changed: 05 September 2019
Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) is used to screen for acromegaly in diabetic cats. In humans, most circulating IGF-I forms ternary complexes (TC) with IGF-binding protein (IGFBP-3) and an acid-labile subunit. Compared to humans, the amount of TC in cats is more variable. Insulin-like growth factor-I concentrations are reported to increase during insulin treatment, more rapidly in cats achieving remission.
Objectives
To investigate (i) factors associated with circulating IGF-I concentrations, including IGFBP-profiles (ii) effect of insulin treatment on IGF-I concentrations and (iii) IGF-I as prognostic marker of diabetes mellitus remission.
Animals
Thirty-one privately owned diabetic cats of which 24 were followed 1 year, and 13 healthy cats.
Methods
Prospective study. Serum insulin, IGF-I, glucose, and fructosamine concentrations were measured. IGF-binding forms were determined by chromatography in 14 diabetic and 13 healthy cats; and IGF-I, IGF-II, IGFBP-3, and IGFBP-5 by mass spectrometry in 3 cats achieving remission.
Results
Insulin-like growth factor-I median (interquartile range) before start of insulin treatment was 300 (160-556) ng/mL. Insulin-like growth factor-I was positively associated with TC (P < .0001) and endogenous insulin (P = .005) and negatively associated with fructosamine (P < .0001). Median IGF-I was higher 2-4 weeks after start of insulin treatment compared with baseline (300 versus 670 ng/mL, P = .0001) and predicted future remission (P = .046). In cats that went into remission, the amount of TC and IGFBP-3 increased, suggesting increase in IGF-I is dependent on TC formation.
Conclusions
Insulin treatment should be accounted for when interpreting IGF-I in diabetic cats. Insulin-like growth factor-I 2-4 weeks after initiation of insulin treatment shows promise as prognostic marker for remission in diabetic cats.
Link to the publication
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30112786
Reference
Strage EM, Sundberg M, Holst BS, Andersson Franko M, Ramström M, Fall T, Lewitt M. Effect of insulin treatment on circulating insulin-like growth factor I and IGF-binding proteins in cats with diabetes mellitus. J Vet Intern Med. 2018;32(5):1579-1590.