Prevalence of hypercalcemia in primary hypoadrenocorticism in dogs: Multicenter, retrospective study

Abstract

Background: Hypoadrenocorticism is an important differential for hypercalcemia. The etiology of hypercalcemia in hypoadrenocorticism in dogs is unclear. Objective: To review the prevalence of hypercalcemia and use statistical models to identify clinical, demographic, and biochemical variables associated with hypercalcemia in dogs with primary hypoadrenocorticism. Animals: One hundred ten dogs with primary hypoadrenocorticism; 107 with recorded total calcium (TCa), 43 recorded ionized calcium (iCa). Methods: Multicenter retrospective observational study at 4 UK referral hospitals. Univariable logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the association between independent variables of signalment, hypoadrenocorticism type (glucocorticoid only deficient hypoadrenocorticism [GHoC] vs glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid deficient hypoadrenocorticism [GMHoC]), clinicopathological variables and hypercalcemia. Hypercalcemia was defined as elevated TCa, an elevated iCa, or both elevated TCa and iCa (Model 1) or as elevated iCa (Model 2). Results: Overall prevalence of hypercalcemia was 34.5% (38/110). The odds of hypercalcemia (Model 1) were increased (P