Dow S W, Fettman M J, Smith K R, Ching S V, Hamar D W, Rogers Q R
Department of Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins 80523.
Am J Vet Res. 1992 Mar;53(3):402-5.
Although low plasma taurine concentrations have been associated with congestive cardiomyopathy in cats, the cause of taurine depletion in cats consuming adequate quantities of taurine is unknown. Taurine depletion and cardiovascular disease (cardiomyopathy and thromboembolism) developed unexpectedly in 3 of 6 healthy adult cats during a potassium-depletion study. Plasma taurine concentration decreased significantly (P less than 0.05) and rapidly over an 8-week period (from 98 to 36 nmol/ml) in 6 cats that consumed a potassium-deficient diet (0.20% potassium, dry matter basis) that was acidified with 0.8% ammonium chloride, despite containing dietary taurine concentrations (0.12% dry matter basis) in excess of amounts currently recommended. Taurine concentrations were significantly lower in cats fed the acidified diet than in 6 cats fed a potassium-deficient diet that was not acidified (36 nmol/ml vs 75 nmol/ml) after 8 weeks. In addition, plasma taurine concentrations did not decrease over a 6-month period in 8 cats that were fed a potassium-replete diet with acidifier. Plasma taurine concentrations were lowest in 3 cats that died of cardiovascular disease in the group receiving potassium-deficient, acidified diets. These data indicated an association between taurine and potassium balance in cats and suggested that development of taurine depletion and cardiovascular disease may be linked to concurrent potassium depletion.
尽管猫血浆中牛磺酸浓度低与充血性心肌病有关，但摄入足够量牛磺酸的猫出现牛磺酸耗竭的原因尚不清楚。在一项缺钾研究中，6只健康成年猫中有3只意外出现了牛磺酸耗竭和心血管疾病（心肌病和血栓栓塞）。6只食用低钾饮食（钾含量0.20%，以干物质计）且用0.8%氯化铵酸化的猫，尽管饮食中牛磺酸浓度（以干物质计0.12%）超过了目前推荐量，但在8周内血浆牛磺酸浓度显著降低（P小于0.05）且迅速下降（从98降至36 nmol/ml）。8周后，食用酸化饮食的猫的牛磺酸浓度显著低于6只食用未酸化低钾饮食的猫（36 nmol/ml对75 nmol/ml）。此外，8只食用含酸化剂的富钾饮食的猫在6个月内血浆牛磺酸浓度没有下降。在接受低钾酸化饮食的组中，死于心血管疾病的3只猫的血浆牛磺酸浓度最低。这些数据表明猫体内牛磺酸与钾平衡之间存在关联，并表明牛磺酸耗竭和心血管疾病的发生可能与同时出现的钾耗竭有关。
