Diagnostic potential of natriuretic peptides in the occult phase of golden retriever muscular dystrophy cardiomyopathy.
The objective of the study was to determine whether the plasma concentrations of atrial and brain natriuretic peptides (ANP and BNP, respectively) could be reliable markers of cardiac alterations during occult cardiomyopathy in Golden Retriever Muscular Dystrophy (GRMD). Fifty Golden Retrievers without any clinical or radiographic sign of heart disease were included in this study (21 GRMD dogs and 29 controls). Controls and GRMD dogs were divided into 2 subgroups according to age (< and > or =12 months old, respectively). All dogs underwent echocardiography and determination of BNP and ANP plasma concentrations by radioimmunoassay. No ventricular dilatation or dysfunction was observed in either control or GRMD dogs. ANP plasma concentration did not differ significantly between controls and GRMD dogs (mean +/- SD = 72 +/- 49 versus 58 +/- 23 pg/mL, respectively, P = .21). This finding was confirmed in both subgroups of dogs (ie, those < and > or =12 months old). In contrast, BNP plasma concentrations were significantly higher in GRMD dogs than in controls (mean +/- SD = 117 +/- 92 versus 46 +/- 22 pg/mL, respectively, P < .05). In dogs > or =12 months old, sensitivity and specificity of BNP for identifying GRMD with a cutoff of 65 pg/mL were 78 and 86%, respectively. For the same cutoff value, sensitivity dropped to 42%, whereas specificity reached 100% in dogs <12 months old. In conclusion, BNP may be a useful biochemical marker of asymptomatic cardiomyopathy. However, this peptide does not allow very early detection because its optimal discriminatory power was observed in adult dogs (ie, > or =12 months of age).
Chetboul
Valérie
V
Unité de Cardiologie d'Alfort, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Maisons-Alfort, France. vchetboul@vet-alfort.fr
Tessier-Vetzel
Dominique
D
Escriou
Catherine
C
Tissier
Renaud
R
Carlos
Carolina
C
Boussouf
Maya
M
Pouchelon
Jean-Louis
JL
Blot
Stéphane
S
Derumeaux
Genevieve
G
D000818:Animals; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004285:Dogs / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D009137:Muscular Dystrophy, Animal / Q000175:diagnosis; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood*; D010375:Pedigree; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D015415:Biomarkers; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor