employee
Russian Federation
employee
Russian Federation
employee
Italy
employee
Russian Federation
GRNTI 68.41 Ветеринария
Background: Assessment of the severity of pruritus is difficult in cats, because they manifest discomfort by increased licking, increased scratching or both. Hypothesis/Objectives: Our objective was to develop and validate a feline specific pruritus scale (VAScat). Methods: The scale was designed as a double Visual Analog Scale (VAS), one VAS for licking and one for scratching, with severity and behavioural descriptors. The highest score (VAS-max) on either VAS was taken as the pruritus score for each cat. Owners of 153 cats with skin diseases and of 108 healthy cats scored their pet's pruritus using the VAScat. Ninety-six of 153 cats with skin diseases also were re-evaluated after four to eight weeks of treatment. Results: Pearson's correlation value between VAS-licking and VAS-scratching scores was r =0.26 (p <0.01), and Cronbach's alpha was 0.41. Both indexes indicated that the two scales measure different manifestations of pruritus and supported the use of a dual assessing system. Comparison with a numerical pruritus severity scale (0, absent; 1, mild; 2, moderate; 3, severe) suggested that VAS-licking and VAS-scratching scales taken alone are unsuitable for measuring absent to mild pruritus (grades 0…1), while VAS-max is (p =0.001). VAS-licking, VAS-scratching and VAS-max all were suitable to assess higher levels of pruritus (grades 2…3, p <0.01). The VAScat was able to measure pruritus improvement following therapy, as post-treatment scores were significantly decreased compared to pre-treatment ones (p <0.0001). Conclusions and clinical importance: The VAScat proved to be a useful tool to assess pruritus in cats and for monitoring the response to treatment for pruritus.
cat, pruritus, visual analog scale (VAS)
1. Pereira M.P., Ständer S., Assessment of severity and burden of pruritus, Allergol Int. 2017, No. 66, pp. 3-7.
2. Hill P.B., Lau P., Rybnicek J., Development of an owner-assessed scale to measure the severity of pruritus in dogs, Vet Dermatol., 2007, No. 18, pp. 301-318.
3. Rybnicek J., Lau-Gillard P., Harvey R., Hill P.B., Further validation of a pruritus severity scale for use in dogs, Vet Dermatol., 2008, No. 20, pp. 115-22.
4. Nuttall T.J., McEwan N.A., Bensignor E., Cornegliani L., Löwenstein C., Rème C.A.m Comparable efficacy of a topical 0.0584 % hydrocortisone aceponate spray and oral ciclosporin in treating canine atopic dermatitis, Vet Dermatol., 2011, No. 23, pp.4-12.
5. Cosgrove S.B., Cleaver D.M., King V.L, Gilmer A.R., Daniels A.E., Wren J.A .et al.m Long-term compassionate use of oclacitinib in dogs with atopic and allergic skin disease: safety, efficacy and quality of life, Vet Dermatol., 2015, No. 26, pp. 171-180.
6. Noli C., della Valle M.F., Miolo A., Medori C., Schievano C., Skinalia Clinicl Research Group. Efficacy of ultra-micronized palmitoylethanolamide in canine atopic dermatitis: an open-label multi-centre study, Vet Dermatol, 2015, No. 26, pp. 432-434.
7. Moyaert H., Van Brussel L., Borowski S., Escalada M., Mahabir S.P., Walters R.R. et al., A blinded, randomized clinical trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of lokivetmab compared to ciclosporin in client-owned dogs with atopic dermatitis, Vet Dermatol., 2017, No. 28, pp. 593-e145.
8. Bensignor E.J., Fabries L.J., Use of antipruritic and rehydrating foams on localized lesions of atopic dermatitis in dogs: a small-scale pilot and comparative double-blinded study, Vet Dermatol. 2018, No. 29, pp. 446-e150.
9. Gonzales J.L., Zalve V., Fernández-Caldas E., Cases B., Subiza J-L., Casanovas M., A pilot study of immunotherapy in dogs with atopic dermatitis using a mannan-Dermatophagoides farinae allergoid targeting dendritic cells, Vet Dermatol., 2018, No. 29, pp. 449-e152.
10. Timm K., Mueller R.S., Nett-Mettler C.S., Long-term effects of intralymphatic immunotherapy (ILIT) on canine atopic dermatitis, Vet Dermatol., 2018, No. 29, pp. 123-e49.
11. Souza P.C., Rosychuck R.A.W., Contreras E.T., Schissler J.R., Simpson A.C., A retrospective analysis of the use of lokivetmab in the management of allergic pruritus in a referral population of 135 dogs in the western USA, Vet Dermatol., 2018, No. 29, pp. 489-e164.
12. Osumi T., Shimada T., Sakaguchi M., Tsujimoto H., A double-blind, placebo-controlled evaluation of orally administered heat-killed Enterococcus faecalis FK-23 preparation in atopic dogs, Vet Dermatol., 2019, No. 30, pp. 127-e26.
13. Fischer N.M., Rostaher A., Favrot C., A comparative study of subcutaneous, intralymphatic and sublingual immunotherapy for the long-term control of dogs with nonseasonal atopic dermatitis, Vet Dermatol., 2020, No. 31, pp. 365-e96.
14. Marsella R., Ahrens K., Wilkes R., Trujillo A., Dorr M., Comparison of various treatment options for canine atopic dermatitis: a blinded, randomized, controlled study in a colony of research atopic beagle dogs, Vet Dermatol., 2020, No. 31, pp. 284-e69.
15. Santoro D., Fagman L., Zhang Y., Fahong Y., Clinical efficacy of spray-based heat-treated lactobacilli in canine atopic dermatitis: a preliminary, open-label, uncontrolled study, Vet Dermatol., 2021, No. 32, pp. 114-e23.
16. Hobi S., Klinger C., Classen J., Mueller R.S., The effects of a topical lipid complex therapy on dogs with atopic dermatitis: a double blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study, Vet Dermatol., 2017, No. 28, pp. 369-e84.
17. Hobi S., Linek M., Marignac G., Olivry T., Beco L., Nett C. et al., Clinical characteristics and causes of pruritus in cats: a multicenter study on feline hypersensitivity-associated dermatoses, Vet Dermatol., 2011, No. 22, pp. 406-413.
18. Wildermuth K., Zabel S., Rosychuk R.A.W., The efficacy of cetirizine hydrochloride on the pruritus of cats with atopic dermatitis: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study, Vet Dermatol., 2013, No. 24, pp. 576-581, e137-8.
19. Ortalda C., Noli C., Colombo S., Borio S., Oclacitinib in feline nonflea-, nonfood-induced hypersensitivity dermatitis: results of a small prospective pilot study of client-owned cats, Vet Dermatol., 2015, No. 26, pp. 235-e52.
20. Koch S.N., Torres S.M.F., Diaz S., Gilbert S., Rendahl A., Subcutaneous administration of ciclosporin in 11 allergic cats - a pilot open-label uncontrolled clinical trial, Vet Dermatol., 2018, No. 29, pp. 107-e43.
21. Noli C., Matricoti I., Schievano C., A double-blinded, randomized, methylprednisolone-controlled study of the efficacy of oclacitinib in the management of pruritus in cats with nonflea nonfood-induced hypersensitivity dermatitis, Vet Dermatol., 2019, No. 30, pp. 110-e30.
22. Maina E., Fontaine J., Use of maropitant for the control of pruritus in non-flea, non-food- induced feline hypersensitivity dermatitis: an open-label uncontrolled pilot study, J Feline Med Surg., 2019, No. 21, pp. 967-72.
23. Scott D.W., Rothstein E., Beningo K.E., Miller W.H., Observations on the use of cyproheptadine hydrochloride as an antipruritic agent in allergic cats, Can Vet J., 1998, No. 39, pp. 634-637.
24. Medleau L., Hnilica K.A., Lower K., Alva R., Clekis T., Case J. et al., Effect of topical application of fipronil in cats with flea allergic dermatitis, J Am Vet Med Assoc., 2002, No. 221, pp. 254-257.
25. Noli C., Scarampella F., Prospective open pilot study on the use of ciclosporin for feline allergic skin disease, J Small Anim Pract., 2006, No. 47, pp. 434-438.
26. Wisselink M.A., Willemse T., The efficacy of cyclosporine A in cats with presumed atopic dermatitis: a double blind, randomised prednisolone-controlled study, Vet J., 2009, No. 180, pp. 55-59.
27. Griffin J.S., Scott D.W., Miller W.H., Tranchina M.M., An open clinical trial on the efficacy of cetirizine hydrochloride in the management of allergic pruritus in cats, Can Vet J., 2012, No. 53, pp. 47-50.
28. Ganz E.C., Griffin C.E., Keys D.A., Flatgard T.A., Evaluation of methylprednisolone and triamcinolone for the induction and maintenance treatment of pruritus in allergic cats: a double-blinded, randomized, prospective study, Vet Dermatol., 2012, No. 23, pp. 387-e72.
29. King S., Favrot C., Messinger L., Nuttall J., Forster S., Seewald W., A randomized double-blinded placebo-controlled study to evaluate an effective ciclosporin dose for the treatment of feline hypersensitivity dermatitis, Vet Dermatol., 2012, No. 23, pp. 440-e84.
30. Roberts E.S., Speranza C., Friberg C., Griffin C., Steffan J., Roycroft L. et al., Confirmatory field study for the evaluation of ciclosporin at a target dose of 7.0 mg/kg (3.2 mg/lb) in the control of feline hypersensitivity dermatitis, J Feline Med Surg., 2016, No. 18, pp. 889-897.
31. Beaver B.V., Feline Behavior: A guide for veterinarians, St Louis, MO: WB Saunders, 2003.
32. Bowen J., Heath S., Behaviour Problems in Small Animals: Practical advice for the veterinary team. Philadelphia, PA: WB Saunders, 2005.
33. Rodan I., Heath S., Feline Behavioral Health and Welfare. St Louis, MO: Elsevier, 2016.
34. Eckstein R.A., Hart B.L., The organization and control of grooming in cats. Appl Anim Behav Sci., 2000, No. 68, pp. 131-140.
35. Noli C., Della Valle M.F., Miolo A., Medori C., Schievano C., Skinalia Clinical Research Group. Effect of dietary supplementation with ultramicronized palmitoylethanolamide in maintaining remission in cats with nonflea hypersensitivity dermatitis: a double-blind, multicentre, randomized, placebo-controlled study. Vet Dermatol, 2019, No. 30, pp. 387-e117.
36. Langner M.D., Maibach H.I., Pruritus measurement and treatment. Clin Exp Dermatol., 2009, No. 34, pp. 285-288.
37. Young A.J., Torres S.M.F., Koch S.N., Eisenschenk M.N.C., Rendahl A.K., Canine Pruritus Visual Analog Scale: how does it capture owners' perception of their pet's itching level? Vet Dermatol., 2019, No. 30, pp. 377-e111.
38. Noli C., Cena T., Comparison of FEDESI and SCORFAD scoring systems for the evaluation of skin lesions in allergic cats, Vet Dermatol., 2015, No. 26, pp. 481-483.
39. Brame B.E., Canning P., Morris D.O., Drobatz K.J., Rook K., Cain C.L., Interobserver reliability of Feline Dermatitis Extent and Severity Index (FEDESI) and Scoring Feline Allergic Dermatitis (SCORFAD) and the relationship between lesion scores and pruritus, Vet Dermatol., 2021, No. 32, pp. 492-e135.
