Age-based ultrasonographic criteria for diagnosis of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease in Persian cats:

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to establish ultrasound criteria for the diagnosis of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) in Persian cats.MethodsEighty-two Persian cats were assessed using renal ultrasound and genotyped for the C→A transversion in exon 29 of PKD1. The animals were also submitted to hematological characterization, serum biochemistry analyses and urinalysis.ResultsAge, sex and neutering status did not differ between ADPKD (n = 12) and non-ADPKD (n = 70) cats. After integrated molecular genetics/ultrasonographic analysis, the presence of at least one renal cyst was sufficient to establish a diagnosis of ADPKD in animals up to 15 months of age. Two or more cysts were required for diagnosis in cats aged 16–32 months, and at least three cysts warranted diagnosis of ADPKD in animals aged 33–49 months. Finally, four or more cysts led to diagnosis in cats aged 50–66 months. Although cats with ADPKD exhibited higher serum calcium levels than non-affected cats, hematological, ur...