Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Blood test for hidden heart disease in dogs using BNP and troponin
By Oyama, Mark A et al.·Published in American journal of veterinary research·2007·Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Prospective screening for occult cardiomyopathy in dogs by measurement of plasma atrial natriuretic peptide, B-type natriuretic peptide, and cardiac troponin-I concentrations.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 118 dogs was tested for hidden heart problems, specifically occult dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), by measuring certain blood markers. The tests included an ECG and an ultrasound of the heart, along with checking levels of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), which was found to be particularly effective. In fact, a BNP level above 6.21 pg/mL was able to correctly identify 95% of dogs with this condition. This suggests that a simple blood test could help vets detect heart issues in dogs before symptoms appear, allowing for earlier intervention and treatment.
People also search for: dog heart problems symptoms · occult dilated cardiomyopathy in dogs · BNP test for dog heart disease
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the use of measuring plasma concentrations of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), and cardiac troponin-I (cTnI) to detect dogs with occult dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). ANIMALS: 118 client-owned dogs. PROCEDURES: Dogs were prospectively examined by use of ECG; echocardiography; and evaluation of concentrations of ANP, BNP, and cTnI. Occult DCM was diagnosed by evaluation of echocardiographic left ventricular dimensions and detection of ventricular arrhythmias on ECG. Sensitivity and specificity of assays for measurement of plasma concentrations of ANP, BNP, and cTnI to detect dogs with occult DCM were determined. RESULTS: Occult DCM was diagnosed in 21 dogs. A concentration of > 6.21 pg/mL for BNP had a sensitivity of 95.2% and specificity of 61.9% for identifying dogs with occult DCM. In contrast, concentrations of ANP and cTnI had relatively low predictive values. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Blood-based screening for occult DCM in dogs can be accomplished by use of a BNP assay. Additional studies should be performed to optimize this method of screening dogs to detect occult DCM.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17199417/