title: Assessment of circulating N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide concentration to differentiate between cardiac from noncardiac causes of pleural effusion in cats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the diagnostic ability of blood N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) measurement to differentiate between congestive heart failure (CHF) and noncardiogenic causes for moderate to severe pleural effusion in cats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective observational study.
  
  
  METHODS
  University teaching hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-one cats with moderate to severe pleural effusion.
  
  
  METHODS
  Venous blood sampling for NT-proBNP measurement.
  
  
  RESULTS
  According to the results of echocardiographic examination, cats were classified in a group with CHF (n = 11) or noncongestive heart failure (N-CHF, n = 10). NT-proBNP was measured via a feline-specific test in EDTA plasma with protease inhibitor. NT-proBNP was significantly (P < 0.0001) higher in the CHF group ( median 982 pmol/L, 355-1,286 pmol/L) than in the N-CHF group (median 69 pmol/L, 26 - 160 pmol/L) and discriminated exactly (area under the curve = 1.0, 95% confidence interval 1.0-1.0) between both groups. Optimum cut-off value considering all samples was 258 pmol/L.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this small population of cats with pleural effusion, NT-proBNP was able to differentiate between cats with cardiogenic and noncardiogenic causes of effusion. With the currently recommended method of measurement (ie, EDTA plasma with protease inhibitor), a cut-off value of 258 pmol/L discriminates effectively between cats with and without CHF.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Studies, Small Animal Clinic, University of Giessen, 35392, Giessen, Germany. esther2308@aol.com
authors.forename: Esther
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hassdenteufel
authors.forename: Estelle
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Henrich
authors.forename: Nicolai
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hildebrandt
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stosic
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schneider
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000097:blood*; D002415:Cats; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000662:veterinary*; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood*; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D010446:Peptide Fragments; C109794:pro-brain natriuretic peptide (1-76); D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain
keywords: cardiac biomarker; feline; heart failure; respiratory distress