title: Clinical factors associated with death before discharge and overall survival time in dogs with generalized megaesophagus.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the association of 6 clinical features with outcome of dogs with generalized megaesophagus.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  71 client-owned dogs with radiographic evidence of generalized esophageal dilation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medical records were reviewed for data on signalment, age at onset of clinical signs, body weight, evidence of undernutrition, and the administration of drugs to treat or prevent esophagitis. Radiographs were reviewed for evidence of aspiration pneumonia (AP) and to calculate the relative esophageal diameter. Details of outcome were collected from the medical records and by contacting owners and referring veterinarians. The association of 6 factors with death before discharge and overall survival time was assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall median survival time was 90 days. Nineteen (26.7%) patients died before discharge from the hospital. Radiographic evidence of AP was both positively associated with death before discharge and negatively associated with overall survival time. An age at onset of clinical signs of >13 months was negatively associated with overall survival time. No evidence of an association of the degree of esophageal dilation or the use of drugs to prevent or treat esophagitis with death before discharge or overall survival time was found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Radiographic evidence of AP and the age at onset of clinical signs were the only variables found to be significantly associated with survival time in this study, and this should be considered when advising on prognosis in dogs with megaesophagus.
authors.affiliation: Division of Companion Animal Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G61 1QH, Scotland. alix.mcbrearty@vets-now.com
authors.forename: Alix R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: McBrearty
authors.forename: Ian K
authors.initials: IK
authors.lastname: Ramsey
authors.forename: Emily A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Courcier
authors.forename: Dominic J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Mellor
authors.forename: Rory
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bell
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D004285:Dogs; D004931:Esophageal Achalasia / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome