Plasma N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide concentration helps to predict survival in dogs with symptomatic degenerative mitral valve disease regardless of and in combination with the initial clinical status at admission.
OBJECTIVE
Although mitral valve disease (MVD) is the most common canine heart disease, readily available prognostic markers of the disease are still lacking. The aim of this study was to evaluate the comparative ability of N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide plasma concentration (NT-proBNP) and various echocardiographic variables to predict outcome in dogs with MVD.


METHODS
Seventy-four dogs with ISACHC classes 2 and 3 MVD (Groups A and B, respectively) were prospectively recruited. NT-proBNP and several echo-Doppler variables at inclusion were compared as predictors of outcome at 6 months in 54/74 dogs.


RESULTS
NT-proBNP was significantly higher in Group B than in Group A (P<0.0001), and was the only tested variable significantly different between survivor and non-survivor dogs in both groups (P<0.05). In the whole canine population, a threshold of 1500 pmol/L could discriminate survivor from non-survivor dogs with a sensitivity and specificity of 80% and 73%, respectively. When combining ISACHC class with NT-proBNP levels, a cut-off of 1265 pmol/L was predictive of survival in Group A, whereas the cut-off was 2700 pmol/L for Group B.


CONCLUSIONS
NT-proBNP is correlated with MVD severity and could be used in combination with clinical status to predict cardiac outcome.
Serres
François
F
Unité de Cardiologie d'Alfort, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, 7 avenue du Général de Gaulle, 94704 Maisons-Alfort cedex, France.
Pouchelon
Jean-Louis
JL
Poujol
Laure
L
Lefebvre
Hervé P
HP
Trumel
Cathy
C
Daste
Thomas
T
Sampedrano
Carolina Carlos
CC
Gouni
Vassiliki
V
Tissier
Renaud
R
Hawa
Gerhard
G
Chetboul
Valérie
V
D000818:Animals; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000097:blood*; D004285:Dogs; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D008943:Mitral Valve; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014508:Urea / Q000097:blood
D010446:Peptide Fragments; C109794:pro-brain natriuretic peptide (1-76); D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; D014508:Urea; D003404:Creatinine