title: Tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) in dogs: reference values and impact of pulmonary hypertension.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The impact of pulmonary hypertension (PH) on right ventricular systolic function is difficult to assess. Tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) is an echocardiographic measurement of right ventricular systolic function and a strong predictor of outcome in human PH patients.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Determine a reference range for TAPSE in healthy dogs, and quantify TAPSE in dogs with PH. It is hypothesized that TAPSE is lower in dogs with PH compared with a reference group, and decreases as PH worsens.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty normal dogs and 30 dogs with PH.
  
  
  METHODS
  TAPSE was measured by 2-dimensional echocardiography-guided M-mode from the left apical 4-chamber view. Peak systolic tricuspid valve regurgitation jet velocity was measured by continuous-wave Doppler to estimate right ventricular-to-right atrial pressure gradient. PH was subjectively classified as mild, moderate, and severe.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a curvilinear correlation between TAPSE and body weight. The upper and lower limits of the 95% reference interval were determined by quantile regression. Interobserver and intraobserver agreement was adequate with a coefficient of variation <10%. There were significant differences when comparing dogs with PH and the healthy group, as well as between the PH subgroups (P < .01), except between dogs with mild and moderate PH (P = .99). Only dogs in the severe PH group had TAPSE values that were mostly below the lower limit of the reference interval.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TAPSE is easily obtainable with acceptable inter and intraobserver agreement. TAPSE is decreased in PH and below the reference interval in most dogs with severe PH.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, LSU School of Veterinary Medicine, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA. rpariaut@lsu.edu
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pariaut
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Saelinger
authors.forename: K N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Strickland
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Beaufrère
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Reynolds
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vila
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004285:Dogs; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000662:veterinary*; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D015588:Observer Variation; D012016:Reference Values; D012044:Regression Analysis; D014261:Tricuspid Valve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018497:Ventricular Dysfunction, Right / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000662:veterinary*