title: The diagnostic significance of the plasma N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic Peptide concentration in asymptomatic cats with cardiac enlargement.
abstract: We evaluated the diagnostic significance of the N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) concentration in asymptomatic cats with cardiac enlargement. The plasma NT-proBNP concentration was measured in 21 clinically healthy control cats, and 67 asymptomatic cats with cardiac enlargement defined as end-diastolic interventricular septum thickness (IVSd) and/or diastolic left ventricular posterior wall thickness (LVPWd) >0.6 cm, vertebla heart scale (VHS) >7.8, and/or left atria/aorta ratio (LA/Ao) >1.5. The plasma NT-proBNP concentration in the asymptomatic cats with cardiac enlargement (median: 662.0, range: 24.0-2,449.0 pmol/l) was significantly higher than that in the controls (24.0, 24.0-95.0 pmol/l, P<0.001). The plasma NT-proBNP concentration was significantly correlated with the VHS, LA/Ao, IVSd and LVPWd (r=0.578, P<0.001; r=0.462, P<0.001; r=0.563, P<0.001; and r=0.764, P<0.001, respectively). Receiver operating characteristic analysis showed a cut-off value of 95.0 pmol/l for the detection of asymptomatic cats with cardiac enlargement, sensitivity and specificity of 88.1 and 100%, respectively, and an area under the curve of 0.971. These results suggest that the determination of the plasma NT-proBNP concentration can be a useful screening test for asymptomatic cats with cardiac enlargement.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Veterinary Integrative Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshinori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tominaga
authors.forename: Yuichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Miyagawa
authors.forename: Noriko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Toda
authors.forename: Naoyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Takemura
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D058070:Asymptomatic Diseases; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D006332:Cardiomegaly / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000662:veterinary*; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002415:Cats; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood*; D012372:ROC Curve; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D010446:Peptide Fragments; C109794:pro-brain natriuretic peptide (1-76); D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain