Clinical findings using echocardiography and plasma cardiac troponin I and pathological findings in dogs with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: A retrospective study

Abstract

Background: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is considered rare in dogs, and there is a lack of clinical data. Cardiac troponin I (cTnI) is a biomarker of cardiomyocyte damage and necrosis and can be used to diagnose cat and human HCM. Aim: We investigated whether the presence of cTnI in clinical data can be used in conjunction with echocardiography to diagnose canine HCM. Methods: This study comprised client-owned dogs with clinical evidence of concentric hypertrophy on echocardiographic images, serum total thyroxine levels of ≤5 µg/dl, systolic blood pressure of ≤180 mmHg, and absence of aortic stenosis. All cases were necropsied. Results: Cardiomyocyte hypertrophy (mean diameter, 18.3 ± 1.8 µm), myocardial fiber disarray (70%), interstitial fibrosis (80%), and small vessel disease (100%) were assessed. In dogs with HCM, the left ventricles were concentric, almost symmetrical, and hypertrophied above the aortic diameter. The end-diastolic interventricular septum normalized to body weight [intraventricular septal thickness in diastole (IVSDN)] was 0.788 [interquartile range (IQR), 0.7–0.92], which exceeded the normal range (5%–95%, IQR: 0.33–0.52). In total, 70% of the dogs with HCM had syncope and dyspnea, and all dogs had high cTnI levels (median, 3.94 ng/ml), exceeding the upper limit of normal (0.11 ng/ml) and indicating cardiomyocyte damage. IVSDN and serum cTnI levels were correlated ( ρ = 0.839, p = 0.01). Conclusion: Ventricular wall thickening and high serum cTnI levels can provide a presumptive diagnosis of HCM and prompt the initiation of treatment or additional diagnostic investigations.

Advancements in Myocardial Infarction Management: Exploring Novel Approaches and Strategies

“…CPC-based therapies aim to enhance the endogenous regenerative capacity of the heart. Clinical trials are ongoing to assess the safety and efficacy of CPC transplantation in MI patients, with the hope of improving cardiac function and reducing post-MI complications [27].…”

Investigation of α-Klotho Concentrations in Serum of Cats Affected by Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

“…The conclusion that diseases associated with myocyte necrosis or other reductions in cell membrane continuity result in increased serum tropinin concentrations has led to its use in human and veterinary medicine as a marker of infarction. As this disease is rare in dogs and cats, there are currently few clinical applications of troponin in veterinary medicine [7,8].…”