title: Effect of NT-pro-BNP assay on accuracy and confidence of general practitioners in diagnosing heart failure or respiratory disease in cats with respiratory signs.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) can distinguish congestive heart failure (CHF) from primary respiratory disease in cats with respiratory signs with approximately 90% diagnostic accuracy, but the additive benefit of NT-proBNP to improve the diagnosis obtained from conventional testing in individual cases remains unknown.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  NT-proBNP will improve the diagnostic accuracy and confidence of general practice veterinarians in assessing cats with respiratory signs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten cats with respiratory signs.
  
  
  METHODS
  History, physical examination, thoracic radiographs, electrocardiogram (ECG), and biochemical analysis of 10 cats presented to the University of Pennsylvania or Tufts University with a history of respiratory signs were evaluated by 50 general practice veterinarians using an online survey tool. Participants were asked to provide (1) diagnosis of CHF or primary respiratory disease, and (2) level of confidence in their diagnosis (1, lowest to 10, highest) before and after disclosure of NT-proBNP results. Diagnoses (CHF, n = 5; primary respiratory, n = 5) were compared to the gold standard defined as consensus opinion of 3 board-certified cardiologists blinded to the NT-proBNP results.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall correctness of the practitioners was 69.2%, and significantly increased after practitioners were provided NT-proBNP results (87.0%, P = .0039). Median practitioner confidence before NT-proBNP disclosure was 6 (IQR, 5-8) and significantly increased after disclosure (8; IQR, 6-10; P = .0039).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data indicate a relatively low accuracy and level of confidence in the diagnosis of feline respiratory signs. Use of NT-proBNP assay in conjunction with conventional evaluation by general practitioners significantly improved their diagnostic accuracy and confidence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Studies-Philadelphia, Matthew J. Ryan Veterinary Hospital of University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Singletary
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Rush
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Fox
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Stepien
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Oyama
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D002415:Cats; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D018634:Veterinarians / Q000592:standards*
chemical_list: D010446:Peptide Fragments; C109794:pro-brain natriuretic peptide (1-76); D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain