Activity Levels in Seven Cats with Osteoarthritis Monitored by GPS Tracker Following Frunevetmab Injection

Abstract

Objective The goal of the current pilot study was to use a commercially available accelerometer (Tractive GPS Tracker for Cats) in a setting evaluating the activity level of cats exhibiting different forms of osteoarthritis in their natural habitat before and after treatment with frunevetmab, using each individual cat as its own control. We hypothesized that treatment with frunevetmab would be associated with increased activity level.

Methods Activity data, measured as minutes of active time per day via accelerometer worn on a collar, were obtained from seven employee-owned cats with radiographically confirmed evidence of osteoarthritis. Cats were randomly assigned to two different protocols in which treatment and no treatment (control) were reversed; that is, undergoing the control period prior to treatment with frunevetmab (“standard” control) versus first assessed without treatment (control period) followed by frunevetmab treatment after minimum 30-day washout period (“inverse” control period).

Results Activity time, on average, was 30 minutes longer per day for frunevetmab versus control (p = 0.007).

Conclusions Based on measurements obtained with piloted use of the Tractive, the activity level in osteoarthritic cats appeared greater when treated with frunevetmab compared to self-control without frunevetmab treatment (either pretreatment or following washout period). The small sample size here does warrant caution in interpreting results for a broader population.

Keywords

arthritis - chronic pain - monoclonal antibody - frunevetmab - feline

Authors' Contribution

Both authors contributed to study conception, study design, acquisition of data, data analysis and interpretation, drafting and revising of the manuscript, and approval of the submitted manuscript.

Publikationsverlauf

Eingereicht: 26. November 2023

Angenommen: 29. Mai 2024

Artikel online veröffentlicht:
03. Juli 2024

• References

• 1 Lascelles BD, Henry III JB, Brown J. et al. Cross-sectional study of the prevalence of radiographic degenerative joint disease in domesticated cats. Vet Surg 2010; 39 (05) 535-544
• 2 Slingerland LI, Hazewinkel HA, Meij BP, Picavet P, Voorhout G. Cross-sectional study of the prevalence and clinical features of osteoarthritis in 100 cats. Vet J 2011; 187 (03) 304-309
• 3 Bennett D, Zainal Ariffin SM, Johnston P. Osteoarthritis in the cat: 1. how common is it and how easy to recognise?. J Feline Med Surg 2012; 14 (01) 65-75
• 4 Marino CL, Lascelles BD, Vaden SL, Gruen ME, Marks SL. Prevalence and classification of chronic kidney disease in cats randomly selected from four age groups and in cats recruited for degenerative joint disease studies. J Feline Med Surg 2014; 16 (06) 465-472
• 5 Guedes AGP, Meadows JM, Pypendop BH, Johnson EG, Zaffarano B. Assessment of the effects of gabapentin on activity levels and owner-perceived mobility impairment and quality of life in osteoarthritic geriatric cats. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2018; 253 (05) 579-585
• 6 Guedes AGP, Meadows JM, Pypendop BH, Johnson EG. Evaluation of tramadol for treatment of osteoarthritis in geriatric cats. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2018; 252 (05) 565-571
• 7 Monteiro BP, Klinck MP, Moreau M. et al. Analgesic efficacy of an oral transmucosal spray formulation of meloxicam alone or in combination with tramadol in cats with naturally occurring osteoarthritis. Vet Anaesth Analg 2016; 43 (06) 643-651
• 8 Monteiro BP, Klinck MP, Moreau M. et al. Analgesic efficacy of tramadol in cats with naturally occurring osteoarthritis. PLoS One 2017; 12 (04) e0175565
• 9 Shipley H, Flynn K, Tucker L. et al. Owner evaluation of quality of life and mobility in osteoarthritic cats treated with amantadine or placebo. J Feline Med Surg 2021; 23 (06) 568-574
• 10 Mantyh PW, Koltzenburg M, Mendell LM, Tive L, Shelton DL. Antagonism of nerve growth factor-TrkA signaling and the relief of pain. Anesthesiology 2011; 115 (01) 189-204
• 11 Bannwarth B, Kostine M. Targeting nerve growth factor (NGF) for pain management: what does the future hold for NGF antagonists?. Drugs 2014; 74 (06) 619-626
• 12 Enomoto M, Mantyh PW, Murrell J, Innes JF, Lascelles BDX. Anti-nerve growth factor monoclonal antibodies for the control of pain in dogs and cats. Vet Rec 2019; 184 (01) 23
• 13 Gearing DP, Huebner M, Virtue ER. et al. In vitro and in vivo characterization of a fully felinized therapeutic anti-nerve growth factor monoclonal antibody for the treatment of pain in cats. J Vet Intern Med 2016; 30 (04) 1129-1137
• 14 Solensia product label. Released by Zoetis Inc. August, 2021 . Accessed 18 June 2024 at: https://www.zoetisus.com/products/cats/solensia
• 15 Gruen ME, Thomson AE, Griffith EH, Paradise H, Gearing DP, Lascelles BD. A feline-specific anti-nerve growth factor antibody improves mobility in cats with degenerative joint disease-associated pain: a pilot proof of concept study. J Vet Intern Med 2016; 30 (04) 1138-1148
• 16 Gruen ME, Myers JAE, Lascelles BDX. Efficacy and safety of an anti-nerve growth factor antibody (frunevetmab) for the treatment of degenerative joint disease-associated chronic pain in cats: a multisite pilot field study. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8: 610028
• 17 Hansen BD, Lascelles BDX, Keene BW, Adams AK, Thomson AE. Evaluation of an accelerometer for at-home monitoring of spontaneous activity in dogs. Am J Vet Res 2007; 68 (05) 468-475
• 18 Lascelles BD, Hansen BD, Thomson A, Pierce CC, Boland E, Smith ES. Evaluation of a digitally integrated accelerometer-based activity monitor for the measurement of activity in cats. Vet Anaesth Analg 2008; 35 (02) 173-183
• 19 Belda B, Enomoto M, Case BC, Lascelles BDX. Initial evaluation of PetPace activity monitor. Vet J 2018; 237: 63-68
• 20 Rowlison de Ortiz A, Belda B, Hash J, Enomoto M, Robertson J, Lascelles BDX. Initial exploration of the discriminatory ability of the PetPace collar to detect differences in activity and physiological variables between healthy and osteoarthritic dogs. Front Pain Res (Lausanne) 2022; 3: 949877
• 21 Yamazaki A, Edamura K, Tanegashima K. et al. Utility of a novel activity monitor assessing physical activities and sleep quality in cats. PLoS One 2020; 15 (07) e0236795
• 22 Tractive. Accessed 6 February 2024 at: tractive.com.
• 23 Brondani JT, Mama KR, Luna SP. et al. Validation of the English version of the UNESP-Botucatu multidimensional composite pain scale for assessing postoperative pain in cats. BMC Vet Res 2013; 9: 143
• 24 Reid J, Scott EM, Calvo G, Nolan AM. Definitive Glasgow acute pain scale for cats: validation and intervention level. Vet Rec 2017; 180 (18) 449
• 25 Evangelista MC, Watanabe R, Leung VSY. et al. Facial expressions of pain in cats: the development and validation of a Feline Grimace Scale. Sci Rep 2019; 9 (01) 19128
• 26 Wiseman ML, Nolan AM, Reid J, Scott EM. Preliminary study on owner-reported behaviour changes associated with chronic pain in dogs. Vet Rec 2001; 149 (14) 423-424
• 27 Wiseman-Orr ML, Nolan AM, Reid J, Scott EM. Development of a questionnaire to measure the effects of chronic pain on health-related quality of life in dogs. Am J Vet Res 2004; 65 (08) 1077-1084
• 28 Brown DC, Boston RC, Coyne JC, Farrar JT. Development and psychometric testing of an instrument designed to measure chronic pain in dogs with osteoarthritis. Am J Vet Res 2007; 68 (06) 631-637
• 29 Enomoto M, Lascelles BDX, Robertson JB, Gruen ME. Refinement of the Feline Musculoskeletal Pain Index (FMPI) and development of the short-form FMPI. J Feline Med Surg 2022; 24 (02) 142-151