Avaliação da Segurança e da Eficácia do Oclacitinib no Controle do Prurido em Felinos com de Dermatite Alérgica à Picada de Pulgas

Abstract

Pruritus is one of the most common clinical signs in veterinary dermatology and one of the main signs in cats with flea byte hypersensitivity. Corticosteroids and cyclosporin are the currently most used drugs as antipruritic treatment, but they can lead to several side effects. Oclacitinib, a janus kinase inhibitor, has been effective and safe in controlling pruritus in dogs, with very few side effects. In cats only few studies are available with divergences between dose and administration regime and there is no safety study available in this specie. The aims of the study were: (i) verify the safety of oral oclacitinib in cats. (ii) to determine the efficacy of oral oclacitinib in cats diagnosed with flea byte hypersensitivity. To determine the safety of oclacitinib, 30 cats were included and allocated in three groups (1 mg/kg oral oclacitinib every 12 hours, oral oclacitinib 2 mg/kg every 12 hours and placebo group, receiving oral starch pills every 12 hours. Treatment lasted 28 days. The cats underwent through clinical evaluation and blood samples were obtained for hematology and serum chemistry analysis, including alanine aminotransferase, albumin, alkaline phosphatase, aspartate aminotransferase, cholesterol, creatinine, fructosamine, gamma glutamyl transpeptidase, glucose, total bilirubin, total protein, triglycerides, and urea. Abdominal ultrasounds were performed to evaluate gastrointestinal, renal, and urinary tract status. Urine samples were collected by cystocentesis on days –2, 14, 28, and 42. Oclacitinib was well tolerated in treated patients and only were observed vomiting in two animals and soft stools in two of the tem cats in 2 mg/kg group. Any significant haematology alteration was observed. Renal and hepatics enzymes remained normal through all the study and although it was observed a sigificant increase in frutosamine levels in both treated groups, values remained within the reference levels. There was no significant difference in mean values obtained for urinary density, pH or creatinina/protein ration. To evaluate efficacy in cats with flea byte hypersensitivity, seven cats were included and recieved oral oclacitinib at a dose of 1mg/kg twice a day for 7 days. Animals were evaluated for the intensity of pruritus through scale VAS on days -1,+1, +3 and +7. Using the VAS scale to evaluate pruritus it was observed a decrease in mean values on days +1,+3,+7 when compared to day -1 in oclacitinib treated group, but only significant on days +3 and +7. It was possible to conclude that oclacitinib was well tolerated in cats at doses of 1 mg/kg and 2 mg/kg and appeared to be safe when administered twice daily for 28 days. Oclacitinb could be one more viable option to control pruritus in cats. In addition, in cats with flea byte hypersensitivity, oclacitinib was able to reduce pruritus with a dose of 1 mg/kg every 12 hour.