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- Author or Editor: Serena Crosara x
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Abstract
Objective—To evaluate reproducibility of ejection fraction (EF), myocardial perfusion (MP), and pulmonary transit time (PTT) measured in a group of dogs by use of contrast echocardiography and to examine safety of this method by evaluating cardiac troponin I concentrations.
Animals—6 healthy dogs.
Procedures—2 bolus injections and a constant rate infusion of contrast agent were administered IV. Echocardiographic EF was determined by use of the area-length method and was calculated without and with contrast agent. The PTT and normalized PTT (PTT/mean R-R interval) were measured for each bolus. Constant rate infusion was used for global MP evaluation, and regional MP was calculated by use of a real-time method in 4 regions of interest of the left ventricle. Cardiac troponin I concentration was analyzed before and after contrast agent administration. Intraoberserver and interobserver variability was calculated.
Results—EF was easier to determine with the ultrasonographic contrast agent. For the first and second bolus, mean ± SD PTT was 1.8 ± 0.2 seconds and 2.1 ± 0.3 seconds and normalized PTT was 3.4 ± 0.3 seconds and 3.5 ± 0.3 seconds, respectively. A coefficient of variation < 15% was obtained for global MP but not for the regional MPs. No differences were detected between precontrast and postcontrast cardiac troponin I concentrations.
Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Contrast echocardiography appeared to be a repeat-able and safe technique for use in the evaluation of global MP and PTT in healthy dogs, and it improved delineation of the endocardial border in dogs.
Abstract
Objective—To investigate whether plasma activity of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and -9 was associated with severity of myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) in dogs and to assess potential associations between MMP activity and dog characteristics, echocardiographic variables, systolic arterial blood pressure (SAP), heart rate, cardiac troponin I (cTnI) concentration, and C-reactive protein concentration.
Animals—75 client-owned dogs.
Procedures—Severity of MMVD was assessed by use of echocardiography. Plasma activity of latent (pro-MMP) and active MMP-2 and -9 was analyzed via zymography. Plasma concentration of cTnI was analyzed with a high-sensitivity cTnI assay, and C-reactive protein concentration was analyzed with a canine-specific ELISA.
Results—Pro-MMP-9, active MMP-9, and pro-MMP-2 were detected, but active MMP-2 was not. No significant differences were found in MMP concentrations among the 4 MMVD severity groups. Activity of pro-MMP-9 decreased with decreases in SAP and was higher in male dogs than in female dogs. Activity of MMP-9 decreased with increases in left ventricular end-systolic dimension and with decreases in SAP and cTnI concentration. Left ventricular end-systolic dimension was the variable most strongly associated with MMP-9 activity. No associations were found between the activity of pro-MMP-2 and investigated variables.
Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Plasma MMP-9 activity decreased with increases in the end-systolic left ventricular internal dimension and decreases in SAP. Hence, evaluation of MMP-9 activity has the potential to provide unique information about the myocardial remodeling process in dogs with MMVD.
Abstract
Objective—To evaluate the anatomic distribution and electrophysiologic properties of accessory pathways (APs) in dogs.
Design—Case series.
Animals—10 dogs with tachyarrhythmias associated with an AP.
Procedures—Each dog underwent electrophysiologic testing to determine the inducibility of documented and undocumented arrhythmias and to identify location, conduction properties, and antegrade and retrograde effective refractory periods of the APs. Radiofrequency catheter ablation was then performed.
Results—15 APs were identified; 7 dogs each had a single AP, and 3 had multiple APs. Fourteen of the 15 APs were right-sided (6 right free wall, 4 posteroseptal, 3 midseptal, and 1 anteroseptal), and 1 was left-sided (left free wall). All APs conducted in an all-or-none fashion. Unidirectional retrograde conduction was observed in 11 APs, and bidirectional conduction was observed in 4. All documented tachyarrhythmias could be induced during electrophysiologic testing; atrial fibrillation was also inducible in 2 dogs. Mean ± SD cycle duration of orthodromic atrioventricular reciprocating tachycardia was 215.80 ± 44.87 milliseconds. Mean shortest R-R interval during atrial fibrillation was 247.33 ± 83.17 milliseconds.
Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Results suggested that in dogs, most APs are right-sided, had unidirectional retrograde conduction, and are associated with various arrhythmias, including orthodromic atrioventricular reciprocating tachycardia and atrial fibrillation without evidence of pre-excitation.
