Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How blood tests help tell heart vs non-heart breathing trouble in dogs
By Prosek, Robert et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2007·Veterinary Specialists Incorporated-Animal Heart Centers, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Distinguishing cardiac and noncardiac dyspnea in 48 dogs using plasma atrial natriuretic factor, B-type natriuretic factor, endothelin, and cardiac troponin-I.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 48 dogs was brought to a veterinary hospital for breathing problems, and the vets needed to figure out if the cause was heart-related or not. They tested blood samples for specific markers and found that dogs with congestive heart failure (CHF) had significantly higher levels of certain substances compared to those with non-cardiac issues. The tests for NT-proANP, BNP, and ET-1 were particularly helpful in making this distinction, with NT-proANP being the most reliable. This information can help vets provide better treatment options for dogs struggling to breathe.
People also search for: dog breathing problems · congestive heart failure in dogs · NT-proANP test for dogs
Abstract
BACKGROUND: It is challenging to differentiate congestive heart failure (CHF) from noncardiac cause of dyspnea. HYPOTHESIS: Circulating concentrations of atrial natriuretic peptide (NT-proANP), B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), endothelin-I (ET-1), and cardiac troponin-I (cTnI) can be used to help distinguish between cardiac and noncardiac causes of dyspnea in dogs. ANIMALS: Forty-eight client-owned dogs admitted to a veterinary teaching hospital for respiratory distress. METHODS: Blood samples from patients were prospectively obtained. The etiology of dyspnea was determined by using physical examination, thoracic radiographs, and echocardiography. RESULTS: CHF was diagnosed in 22 dogs, and dyspnea of noncardiac origin (noHD group) was diagnosed in 26 dogs. Analyses revealed significant difference between groups for NT-proANP (geometric mean, 95% confidence [CI]; no HD: 0.26 nmol/mL, 95% CI 0.17-1.09; CHF: 1.38 nmol/mL, 95% CI 1.09-1.74 nmol/mL; P < .0001), BNP (noHD: 12.18 pg/mL, 95% CI 10.91-16.17 pg/mL; CHF: 34.97 pg/mL, 95% CI 23.51-52.02 pg/mL; P < .0001), and ET-1 (noHD: 0.32 fmol/mL, 95% CI 0.23-0.46 fmol/mL; CHF: 1.26 fmol/mL, 95% CI 0.83-1.91 fmol/mL; P < .0001). Plasma cTnI concentrations were not significantly different between groups (noHD: 0.29 ng/mL, 95% CI 0.12-0.72 ng/mL; CHF: 0.42 ng/mL, 95% CI 0.18-0.97, P = .53). Receiver operating curves indicated areas under the curve for NT-proANP, BNP, and ET-1 of 0.946, 0.886, and 0.849, respectively. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Plasma NT-proANP, BNP, and ET-1, but not cTnI, appear useful for distinguishing between dogs with cardiac and noncardiac causes of dyspnea, with plasma NT-proANP having the highest sensitivity (95.5%) and specificity (84.6%).
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17427383/