Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
NT-proBNP levels before and after fluid removal in dogs with heart
By Baumwart, R D et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary cardiology : the official journal of the European Society of Veterinary Cardiology·2017·Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Plasma N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide concentrations before and after pericardiocentesis in dogs with cardiac tamponade secondary to spontaneous pericardial effusion.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 10 dogs with heart problems caused by fluid buildup around the heart (cardiac tamponade) were treated with a procedure called pericardiocentesis, which removes that fluid. Before the procedure, most dogs had normal levels of a specific heart-related protein (NT-proBNP), but after the procedure, 90% of them showed an increase in this protein. This increase suggests that the heart was functioning better after the fluid was removed. While the protein levels rose, this study indicates that the usual reference range for NT-proBNP may not be reliable for diagnosing this condition in dogs.
People also search for: dog heart problems · cardiac tamponade treatment · NT-proBNP levels in dogs · pericardiocentesis for dogs
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To determine if concentrations of plasma N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) are increased in dogs with cardiac tamponade and if there is a significant increase in plasma NT-proBNP after pericardiocentesis. ANIMALS: Ten client-owned dogs with spontaneous cardiac tamponade. METHODS: Prospective clinical study. Cardiac tamponade was suspected from physical examination and confirmed with echocardiography. Blood was collected and plasma NT-proBNP concentrations were measured before and 30-60 min following pericardiocentesis and resolution of cardiac tamponade. Within-subject changes in plasma NT-proBNP were compared by the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. RESULTS: The plasma NT-proBNP concentrations measured within the reference interval in seven of 10 dogs before pericardiocentesis and in six of 10 dogs following pericardiocentesis. Following pericardiocentesis, there was a statistically significant increase in median NT-proBNP concentration (733 pmol/L, range 250-3,297) compared with the values measured before (643 pmol/L, range 250-3,210, P = 0.004). The NT-proBNP concentration increased in 90% of the dogs following pericardiocentesis. CONCLUSIONS: An upper reference limit of 900 pmol/L for plasma NT-proBNP is insensitive for the diagnosis of pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade in dogs. Plasma NT-proBNP concentration commonly increases following pericardiocentesis, perhaps related to improved ventricular filling and stretch.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28988688/