Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30840691›Full record

ArticlePloS one2019

Expected total thyroxine (TT4) concentrations and outlier values in 531,765 cats in the United States (2014-2015).

Maya Lottati, David Aucoin, David S Bruyette

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Maya LottatiVCA Veterinary Specialists of the Valley- Department of Internal Medicine, Woodland Hills, CA, United States of America.ORCID 0000-0001-5435-8006
David AucoinVCA Antech, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America.ORCID 0000-0001-7553-1242
David S BruyetteAnivive Lifesciences, Long Beach, CA, United States of America.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundLevels exceeding the standard reference interval (RI) for total thyroxine (TT4) concentrations are diagnostic for hyperthyroidism, however some hyperthyroid cats have TT4 values within the RI. Determining outlier TT4 concentrations should aid practitioners in identification of hyperthyroidism. The objective of this study was to determine the expected distribution of TT4 concentration using a large population of cats (531,765) of unknown health status to identify unexpected TT4 concentrations (outlier), and determine whether this concentration changes with age. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPLE

findingsThis study is a population-based, retrospective study evaluating an electronic database of laboratory results to identify unique TT4 measurement between January 2014 and July 2015. An expected distribution of TT4 concentrations was determined using a large population of cats (531,765) of unknown health status, and this in turn was used to identify unexpected TT4 concentrations (outlier) and determine whether this concentration changes with age. All cats between the age of 1 and 9 years (n = 141,294) had the same expected distribution of TT4 concentration (0.5-3.5ug/dL), and cats with a TT4 value >3.5ug/dL were determined to be unexpected outliers. There was a steep and progressive rise in both the total number and percentage of statistical outliers in the feline population as a function of age. The greatest acceleration in the percentage of outliers occurred between the age of 7 and 14 years, which was up to 4.6 times the rate seen between the age of 3 and 7 years.

conclusionsTT4 concentrations >3.5ug/dL represent outliers from the expected distribution of TT4 concentration. Furthermore, age has a strong influence on the proportion of cats. These findings suggest that patients with TT4 concentrations >3.5ug/dL should be more closely evaluated for hyperthyroidism, particularly between the ages of 7 and 14 years. This finding may aid clinicians in earlier identification of hyperthyroidism in at-risk patients.

Indexed as

AnimalsBiomarkersCat DiseasesCatsFemaleHyperthyroidismMaleRetrospective StudiesThyroxineTime FactorsUnited StatesBiomarkersThyroxine

Identifiers

PMID30840691
PMCPMC6402689

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.