Repeatability, reproducibility, and reference intervals for indices of right atrial longitudinal strain derived from speckle-tracking echocardiography in healthy dogs

Tomoya Morita Laboratory of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan.

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Kensuke Nakamura Laboratory of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan.

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Tatsuyuki Osuga Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan.

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Mitsuyoshi Takiguchi Laboratory of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan.

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Abstract

OBJECTIVE

To determine repeatability, reproducibility, and reference intervals of indices of right atrial longitudinal strain (RALS) derived from speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) in dogs without heart disease.

ANIMALS

110 client-owned dogs and 10 laboratory Beagles.

PROCEDURES

To determine intraobserver within-day (repeatability) and interobserver (reproducibility) coefficients of variation, RALS during ventricular systole (εS), ventricular early diastole (εE), and atrial systole (εA), as derived with STE, were obtained by 2 investigators for 5 randomly selected client-owned dogs and analyzed by linear regression. Reference intervals were estimated from the results of all dogs. Correlations between RALS indices (εS, εE, and εA) and sex, age, body weight, heart rate, and blood pressure were determined.

RESULTS

RALS derived from STE showed good intraobserver within-day repeatability and interobserver reproducibility, with coefficients of variation of < 20%. Both εS and εE were significantly negatively correlated with age, but εA was not correlated with age. Indices were not correlated with sex, body weight, or blood pressure.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE

RALS indices derived from STE were repeatable and reproducible and were affected by the age of dogs without heart disease. Age should be considered in the interpretation of RALS indices in clinical settings. Further studies are needed to apply RALS indices for assessing dogs with heart disease.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE

To determine repeatability, reproducibility, and reference intervals of indices of right atrial longitudinal strain (RALS) derived from speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) in dogs without heart disease.

ANIMALS

110 client-owned dogs and 10 laboratory Beagles.

PROCEDURES

To determine intraobserver within-day (repeatability) and interobserver (reproducibility) coefficients of variation, RALS during ventricular systole (εS), ventricular early diastole (εE), and atrial systole (εA), as derived with STE, were obtained by 2 investigators for 5 randomly selected client-owned dogs and analyzed by linear regression. Reference intervals were estimated from the results of all dogs. Correlations between RALS indices (εS, εE, and εA) and sex, age, body weight, heart rate, and blood pressure were determined.

RESULTS

RALS derived from STE showed good intraobserver within-day repeatability and interobserver reproducibility, with coefficients of variation of < 20%. Both εS and εE were significantly negatively correlated with age, but εA was not correlated with age. Indices were not correlated with sex, body weight, or blood pressure.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE

RALS indices derived from STE were repeatable and reproducible and were affected by the age of dogs without heart disease. Age should be considered in the interpretation of RALS indices in clinical settings. Further studies are needed to apply RALS indices for assessing dogs with heart disease.

Contributor Notes

Dr. Morita's present address is the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture, Iwate University, Morioka 020-8550, Japan.

Dr. Osuga's present address is the Laboratory of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Department of Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki 889-2192, Japan.

Address correspondence to Dr. Nakamura (nken@vetmed.hokudai.ac.jp).
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