Correlation of serum cardiac troponin I and acute phase protein concentrations with clinical staging in dogs with degenerative mitral valve disease.
BACKGROUND
Cardiac troponin I (cTnI) correlates with severity of myocardial injury. Nonspecific inflammation in congestive heart failure (CHF) could be assessed by C-reactive protein (CRP), haptoglobin (Hp), and ceruloplasmin (Cp) measurements.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to determine whether serum cTnI, CRP, Hp, and Cp concentrations differ among various stages of mitral valve disease (MVD) in dogs.


METHODS
Dogs with MVD were allocated to 3 groups (I - asymptomatic; II - mild to moderate CHF; III advanced CHF) according to the scheme of the International Small Animal Cardiac Healthy Council (ISACHC). Concentrations of cTnI, CRP, Cp, and Hp were measured in all dogs upon admission, and cTnI and CRP were measured bimonthly during a 4-month follow-up period.


RESULTS
In total 46 dogs with MVD were enrolled for the cross-sectional part (21 Group I, 11 Group II, 14 Group III), and 35 dogs were included in the longitudinal study. Initial mean Cp concentrations were similar among all groups. There was a statistically significant difference in Hp and CRP concentrations between group I (n = 21, P = .019) and III (n = 14, P < .001). There was a statistically significant decrease in CRP (P = .033) and cTnI (P = .009) concentrations over the longitudinal study (all groups). CRP concentrations were significantly higher in group I than III (P = .004). During the 6-month monitoring period of 35 dogs, there was a statistically significant positive correlation between cTnI and CRP (P < .001).


CONCLUSIONS
Differences in CRP concentrations between clinical stages of MVD suggest a clinically and therapeutically relevant inflammatory component.
Diagnostic Laboratory, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Zoe S
ZS
Polizopoulou
Clinic of Companion Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Christos K
CK
Koutinas
Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain.
José J
JJ
Cerón
Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain.
Asta
A
Tvarijonaviciute
Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain.
Silvia
S
Martínez-Subiela
Diagnostic Laboratory, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Anastasia
A
Dasopoulou
GlaxoSmithKline, Research and Development, Ware, UK.
Malcolm J
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9820-8982
MJ
York
GlaxoSmithKline, Research and Development, Ware, UK.
Ian F
IF
Roman
GlaxoSmithKline, Research and Development, Ware, UK.
Mitul
M
Gandhi
GlaxoSmithKline, Research and Development, Ware, UK.
Sonal
S
Patel
Clinical Pathology Laboratory, University Veterinary Hospital, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
Peter J
PJ
O'Brien
D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D002570:Ceruloplasmin / Q000032:analysis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000097:blood*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D006242:Haptoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood / Q000662:veterinary*; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000662:veterinary*; D007249:Inflammation; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000378:metabolism; D019210:Troponin I / Q000097:blood*
D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins; D015415:Biomarkers; D006242:Haptoglobins; D019210:Troponin I; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D002570:Ceruloplasmin
Cardiac biomarkers; cardiac disease; cardiac volume overload; inflammatory reaction; monitoring