Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Predicting left atrial recovery after mitral valve surgery in dogs
By Kawamoto, S et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary cardiology : the official journal of the European Society of Veterinary Cardiology·2025·Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Japan·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Pre-operative left atrial size and functions are predictors of left atrial reverse remodelling after mitral valvuloplasty for myxomatous mitral valve disease in dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 37 dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease underwent a surgical procedure called mitral valvuloplasty to improve their heart function. After the surgery, many dogs showed a significant reduction in the size of the left atrium, which is a part of the heart, over a three-month period. In fact, 73% of the dogs achieved what is known as left atrial reverse remodeling, meaning their heart structure improved. The study found that a specific measurement called peak atrial contraction strain was a strong predictor of whether a dog would experience this improvement.
People also search for: dog heart surgery recovery · mitral valve disease in dogs · signs of heart problems in dogs
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to determine alterations in left atrial size, function, and determinants of left atrial reverse remodelling (LARR) after mitral valvuloplasty (MVP) in dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease. ANIMALS: Thirty-seven dogs undergoing MVP were included in this study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Echocardiographic parameters, including left atrial (LA) strain, were evaluated at baseline, during the early postoperative period (within two weeks), and at one and three months postoperatively. Patients were divided into two groups based on the attainment of LARR, defined as a left atrial-to-aortic root ratio (LA:Ao) < 1.6 at three months. The predictors of LARR were analysed using univariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Left atrial-to-aortic root ratio significantly decreased in the early postoperative period (median: 1.68; lower and upper quartiles: 1.54-1.92) compared to that in baseline (2.41; 2.00-2.80), with a further significant reduction observed at three months (1.46; 1.34-1.63). Left atrial reverse remodelling was achieved in 27 (73%) patients. Baseline left atrial-to-aortic root ratio was higher, and peak atrial longitudinal strain and peak atrial contraction strain (PACS) were lower in the non-LARR group than in the LARR group. Among the baseline parameters, PACS was the strongest predictor of LARR (area under the curve: 0.837). CONCLUSIONS: Following MVP, the LA size decreased in the early postoperative period and continued to decrease over three months of follow-up. A low PACS score was the most reliable predictor of inadequate LARR. Further studies are necessary to determine the relationship between LARR, prognosis, and the optimal timing for surgical intervention.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39643953/