Recruitment of arteriovenous pulmonary shunts may attenuate the development of pulmonary hypertension in dogs experimentally infected with Angiostrongylus vasorum

Abstract

A. vasorum infection causes only a mild increase in PAP following inoculation and anthelmintic therapy. The absence of important PH may in part be explained by the recruitment of AV shunts in the presence of vascular obstructive disease. TDI echocardiographic parameters may be more sensitive to detect mild changes in RV function than conventional parameters.

Intrapulmonary arteriovenous anastomoses in dogs with severe Angiostrongylus vasorum infection: clinical, radiographic, and echocardiographic evaluation

“…There is anatomical [2,5,6] and biophysical [2,7,8] evidence of the presence of IPAVAs in humans and dogs. The ability to recruit IPAVAs varies between individuals, and not all humans or dogs, healthy or diseased, are able to open IPAVAs [1,2,7,9].…”

Regression of pulmonary artery hypertension due to development of a pulmonary arteriovenous malformation

“…5 Sperling et al 6 described two cases of multiparous women with PAH who subsequently developed PAVMs: in one of these, the mean PA pressures decreased after the PAVM developed. Minai et al described a woman with hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) and PAH, 7 in whom a decrease in PA mean pressure and stabilization of the clinical course occurred parri passu with the development of PAVMs, while on therapy with pulmonary vasodilators.…”

Pulmonary Hypertension in the Dog

“…Furthermore, parasitic infections of the pulmonary vessels such as heartworm disease (HWD) due to Dirofi laria immitis infection [26,27] and lungworm disease due to Angiostrongylus vasorum [28,29] can cause PH, more commonly as a complication after parasiticide administration and worm death [30][31][32].…”

“…In chronic embolic pulmonary diseases, endothelin-1(ET-1) has a role in arterial remodelling and wall thickening, although a direct obstruction of the terminal vessel is considered the main mechanism responsible for the development of PH [47]. Moreover, the recruitment of arteriovenous pulmonary shunts can limit the development of severe PH [29].…”