Prevalence of proteinuria in cats affected with chronic kidney disease

Persistent renal proteinuria is considered an early marker of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and it is listed among the initiation factors and progression factors according to KDOQI guidelines. Nevertheless, few data are available about the prevalence of proteinuria in cats affected with CKD, in which it is assumed that nephropathy is mainly characterized by tubulointerstitial damage. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of proteinuria in cats affected with CKD and to valuate the relations between urine protein to creatinine ratio (UPC) or IRIS substaging by proteinuria, towards purebred, sex, age, haematology, biochemistry and urinalysis. Wilcoxon test, linear regression and chi-square test were used for the statistical analysis. Data from 251 cats were considered. Non-renal proteinuria was an exclusion criterion.