EXPRESS: Preliminary investigation of circulating methaemoglobin fraction in cats with sepsis: a small exploratory study.

Methaemoglobin fraction shows no utility as a sepsis biomarker in cats.

This exploratory study investigated circulating methaemoglobin fraction as a potential biomarker in feline sepsis. Researchers retrospectively analyzed medical records from two referral hospital ICUs, enrolling 47 septic cats, 100 non-septic sick cats, and 53 healthy controls. Methaemoglobin levels were measured on admission and compared across groups. Contrary to expectations, Institution A showed significantly higher methaemoglobin in control cats versus septic cats (1.7% vs 1.1%, P=0.03). No significant difference was observed between septic survivors and non-survivors (0.5% vs 0.9%, P=0.5). The study failed to demonstrate elevated circulating methaemoglobin in feline sepsis or its utility as a prognostic indicator for mortality or hospitalization duration. While the negative findings limit clinical application, authors acknowledge the exploratory nature and small sample size. Results suggest methaemoglobin may not be a reliable biomarker in cats, though adequately powered, standardized multicenter studies are needed to definitively clarify its potential utility in feline medicine.

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