Background: Serum symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) is a sensitive renal biomarker for detecting early chronic kidney disease (CKD) in nonhyperthyroid cats, but knowledge regarding its performance in hyperthyroid cats remains limited.

Objectives: To determine the relationship between serum SDMA, creatinine and total thyroxine (TT4) concentrations in hyperthyroid cats before (T0) and 3 months after (T1) receiving a PO fixed dose of radioiodine.

Animals: Eighty client-owned hyperthyroid cats.

Methods: Prospective cohort study. Serum TT4, and SDMA, creatinine concentrations, and urine specific gravity were measured at T0 and T1. Nonparametric tests were used to determine the relationship among SDMA, and creatinine and TT4 concentrations. Agreement between SDMA and creatinine regarding CKD staging at both time points was assessed using Goodman and Kruskal's gamma statistic.

Results: Mean serum SDMA concentration increased after treatment of hyperthyroidism. However, 21 of 75 cats experienced a decrease in SDMA between T0 and T1, whereas creatinine decreased in only 2 cats. A moderate correlation between SDMA and creatinine was seen at T1 (r = 0.53; P < .001) but not at T0 (r = 0.13; P = .25). Where assessable at T1, poor agreement was observed between SDMA and creatinine and CKD stage (Goodman and Kruskal's gamma 0.20; P = .29).

Conclusions and clinical importance: Discordant outcomes between SDMA and creatinine after radioiodine treatment in cats with hyperthyroidism suggest extrarenal factors may interfere with the reliability of SDMA to adequately reflect renal function. As a result, SDMA should not be interpreted in isolation in hyperthyroid cats treated with radioiodine.

Keywords: CKD; I-131; azotemia; chronic kidney disease; feline; hyperthyroidism.

© 2020 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.