Taurine cardiomyopathy

Taurine deficiency is rare in adult humans but is common in domestic cats, due to poor absorption from tinned catfood. Consequences of taurine deficiency in cats are cardiomyopathy, retinal degradation, reproductive failure in females, developmental abnormalities and impairment of the immune system. It is possible that a chronic deficiency in humans may have similar effects. 

Militante JD, Lombardini JB, and Schaffer SW (2000) The role of taurine in the pathogenesis of the cardiomyopathy of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Cardiovascular Research 46, 393 02. 

Acquired alterations on platelet iunction have been detected in cats. Taurine deficient cats have decreased ADP-induced platelet aggregation and release reaction (Welles et al. 1993). C ats with cardiomyopathy and those infected with feline infectious peritonitis have increased platelet aggregation responses (Helenski et al. 1987 Boudreaux et al 1990). 17.6 PIG... 

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