A 3-month-old intact female American Shorthair cat, with syncope and tachypnea, underwent cardiac examination which identified no heart murmur or gallop. Thoracic radiography disclosed mild generalized enlargement of the cardiac silhouette and a bronchial and interstitial pattern throughout the lungs. Echocardiography identified tubular structures near the left atrium. After agitated saline contrast imaging, persistent left cranial vena cava with unroofed coronary sinus was suspected. Computed tomography angiography showed the right cranial, right caudal and left caudal pulmonary veins draining into the coronary sinus and flowing into the right atrium. The left cranial pulmonary vein drained normally into the left atrium. Partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection (PAPVC) was diagnosed. The kitten was treated with diuretics but died of heart failure 2 months later. Permission for necropsy was not granted. This case represents symptomatic PAPVC in a kitten. Most pulmonary veins were connected abnormally with the coronary sinus. The prognosis was grave because of refractory heart failure.
The right pulmonary artery distensibility (RPAD) index has been used in dogs with pulmonary hypertension (PH) caused by heartworm infection, myxomatous mitral valve disease, or patent ductus arteriosus. We hypothesized that this index correlates with the tricuspid regurgitation pressure gradient (TRPG) assessed by echocardiography and could predict survival in dogs with PH secondary to various causes. To assess this hypothesis, the medical records of 200 client-owned dogs at a referral institution were retrospectively reviewed. The RPAD index and the ratios of acceleration time to peak pulmonary artery flow (AT) and to the ejection time of pulmonary artery flow (ET) were recorded for each dog. The owners were contacted for follow-up assessments. The findings indicated that the RPAD index was correlated with the TRPG (R 2 = 0. 362, p < 0.001). The survival time was significantly shorter in dogs with an RPAD index ≤ 21% that were followed up for 3 months and in dogs with an RPAD index ≤ 24% that were followed up for 1 year. Thus, the RPAD index was correlated with the TRPG and could predict the clinical outcome in dogs with PH caused by various diseases. This index could be used to evaluate the severity of PH in dogs without tricuspid regurgitation.
Four pulmonary veins come from respective lung lobes drain oxygen-rich blood back to the left atrium. Failure of incorporation with the left atrium can lead to a condition, called Cor triatriatum sinister, that the left atrium is separated into two chambers by an abortive fibrous tissue. The venous system of lung and whole body communicate with each other in the earlier time and they will be disconnected in the following developmental process. Total or partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection refers to that there is/are some degree of the communication exists after birth, which can occur in different sites. In the veterinary field, retrospective studies and several case reports have been published to describe these rare congenital cardiovascular diseases in several species. More cases are need for better understanding their clinical manifestation, treatment options and outcomes.
Two 8-year-old small-breed neutered dogs were referred due to respiratory distress caused by a new onset of congestive heart failure secondary to degenerative mitral valve disease. Medical treatment, including a diuretic and a vasodilator, was initiated, and blood samples for evaluating the levels of blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) were collected at every visit. The two dogs had entirely different outcomes: one is still alive with its symptoms well controlled by the medications, whereas the other one was unstable during the therapeutic period and only survived for 89 days after the diagnosis was made. Serial measurements of NT-proBNP concentration revealed that its gradual decline corresponded to better outcome, whereas fluctuant and ascending concentrations reflected a poor prognosis.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.