Alteration of clinical parameters before mortality and prognostic outcomes of pulmonary hypertension in dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease.

BACKGROUND

Myxomatous mitral valve degeneration (MMVD) is a prevalent canine heart condition often accompanied by pulmonary hypertension (PH). Echocardiography is a valuable diagnostic tool for MMVD, but its accessibility is limited in small veterinary clinics.

AIM

This study aimed to identify clinical parameters and biochemistry and cardiac biomarkers as prognostic indicators for cardiac mortality in MMVD dogs with and without PH.

ANIMALS

Ninety-nine MMVD dogs and nineteen normal dogs.

METHODS

In a five-year longitudinal study, data including clinical and laboratory measurements as well as echocardiographic parameters were collected every 6 months. Dogs were monitored until death or loss to follow-up, and the cause of death was determined when possible. Statistical analysis was performed to identify factors that predicted death.

RESULTS

Alterations in body condition score, total protein, fractional shortening percentage, and mean corpuscular volume were predictive of impending cardiac mortality. High blood urea nitrogen-to-creatinine ratio, heart rate, and low hemoglobin levels were associated with an increased risk of death. N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide was also a significant predictor of cardiac-related mortality, with higher levels indicating increased risk. Moreover, MMVD dogs with PH had a significantly lower survival rate than those with MMVD without PH. However, no significant difference in survival was observed between MMVD stage C and D with PH and MMVD stage C and D without PH groups.

CONCLUSION

These findings provide valuable insights into the monitoring of MMVD progression in dogs using clinical parameters and biomarkers, especially when echocardiography cannot be performed.