2015 ACVIM Forum Research Abstract Program

A novel algorithm that combined the pre-pill and post-pill cortisol measurements was devised (pre-post). Using the results of the post ACTH stimulation cortisol or the new pre-post method, dogs were also placed into four categories of endocrine control. Weighted Kappa was calculated to assess the level of agreement between the actual clinical control, as categorised using the owner's questionnaire score and the categorisation of endocrine control according to either the post ACTH cortisol results or the pre-post cortisol result. Pearsons correlation co-efficient was used to compare the three absolute cortisol results to each other and to the total score from the owners' questionnaire. Univariate and multivariate regression analysis was performed using dose frequency, total daily dose, total duration of therapy, duration of therapy at current dose, signalment, visit number and weight as variables to ascertain their effect on the three cortisol results.