Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
ECG changes in dogs with different stages of mitral valve disease
By Na, Yejin et al.·Published in Canadian journal of veterinary research = Revue canadienne de recherche veterinaire·2021·College of Veterinary Medicine, South Korea·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Comparison of electrocardiographic parameters in dogs with different stages of myxomatous mitral valve disease.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD), a common heart condition, were studied to see how their heart function changed as the disease progressed. The researchers found that dogs in the more advanced stages of the disease had longer heart electrical activity readings, which could help predict the risk of congestive heart failure (CHF). Specifically, certain measurements from an electrocardiogram (ECG) could indicate whether a dog is likely to develop CHF. This information could help veterinarians monitor heart health and decide on treatment options more effectively.
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Abstract
This study evaluated changes in electrocardiographic (ECG) parameters according to the stage of myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) in dogs, as well as the utility of ECG parameters as prognostic indicators for congestive heart failure (CHF). Medical records of dogs with MMVD were retrospectively searched. Dogs with MMVD (N = 101) were classified into stages B [B1 (= 52) and B2 (= 23)] and C (= 26) according to the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine guidelines. Baseline variables were collected; these included signalment, radiographic, echocardiographic, and ECG parameters. Corrected QT intervals (QTc) were calculated using the logarithmic (QTc1) and Fridericia (QTc2) formulas. The P wave duration, QTc1, and QTc2 were significantly longer in stage C than in stage B. The P wave duration cutoff of 43.5 ms had a diagnostic accuracy of 65% for differentiating CHF, with a sensitivity of 63% and a specificity of 90%. A cutoff value of 307.8 ms for QTc1 yielded a sensitivity of 62%, a specificity of 76%, and a diagnostic accuracy of 78%, and a cutoff value of 239.2 ms for QTc2 yielded a sensitivity of 62%, a specificity of 83%, and a diagnostic accuracy of 77% for diagnosing CHF. Therefore, prolonged P wave and QTc in dogs with MMVD may facilitate the prediction of CHF. Electrocardiography could provide clinicians with a readily available and cost-effective screening tool for predicting CHF, if the usefulness of ECG parameters can be verified.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34602730/