Relationship Between Inflammatory Hepatic Disease and Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Pancreatitis, and Nephritis in Cats

Objective: To determine whether cats with inflammatory hepatic disease had concurrent inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), pancreatitis, or chronic interstitial nephritis.

Design: Prospective case series.

Sample Population: 78 tissue sections of liver, intestine, pancreas, and kidney from cats that had previous necropsy examinations at the teaching hospital.

Procedure: We reviewed histologic sections of liver, intestine, pancreas, and kidney from cats that had previous necropsy examinations and determined the prevalence of lymphocytic portal hepatitis, cholangiohepatitis, IBD, pancreatitis, and chronic interstitial nephritis, and the relationship among them.

Results: 36 cats had lymphocytic portal hepatitis, 18 had cholangiohepatitis, and 24 did not have inflammatory hepatic disease. The prevalence of IBD (10/36; 28%) and pancreatitis (5/36; 14%) in cats with lymphocytic portal hepatitis was not significantly different from cats without inflammatory hepatic disease. The prevalence of IBD (15/18; 83%) and pancreatitis (9/18; 50%) was greater (P < 0.05) for cats with cholangiohepatitis, compared with cats without inflammatory hepatic disease. Thirty-nine percent of cats (7/18) with cholangiohepatitis had IBD and pancreatitis. Evidence of IBD in association with cholangiohepatitis was characterized by infiltration of lymphocytes and plasma cells into the lamina propria; however, neutrophilic infiltrates also were found in 6 of 15 (40%) cats with cholangiohepatitis. Pancreatitis was mild in all cats.

Clinical Implications: Cats with a diagnosis of cholangiohepatitis should be evaluated for IBD and pancreatitis.