2017 ACVIM Forum Research Abstract Program

en males (22) and females (38) (P = 0.980) or between age groups in the study population (P = 0.358). The reference values found for the serum levels of sST2 in healthy dogs ranged from 36.94 to 44.67 pg/mL (CI 95%), with a mean value of 40.80 pg/mL. There was no influence of gender or age group on serum levels of sST2 for the assessed dog population. It was possible to suggest a reference range for the biomarker in healthy dogs. The soluble fraction of ST2 (sST2) is considered a cardiac biomarker, which is induced mechanically by the stretch of cardiomyocytes and fibroblasts. This biomarker has prognostic value in human cardiology, and it is considered an important independent mortality predictor. However, studies assessing sST2 in dogs are still lacking. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the utility of sST2, compared to NT-proBNP and cardiac troponin I (cTnI), for assessment of dogs with chronic mitral valve disease (CMVD). With this purpose, 151 dogs in different stages of CMVD were submitted to clinical exam, laboratory tests, cardiologic exams and measurement of sST2, NT-proBNP and cTnI. The results demonstrate that sST2 was higher in dogs in CHF compared to non-CHF dogs. However, when dogs were stratified according to CMVD stages, it was not possible to differentiate the stages based on sST2 concentrations. NT-proBNP and cTnI were higher in CHF dogs, as well as in more advanced stages of CMVD. There was correlation between sST2 and NT-proBNP and cTnI. Analysis of ROC curve for CHF diagnosis showed areas under the curve (AUC) of 0.66 for sST2, 0.86 for NT-proBNP and 0.76 for cTnI. As for prognosis assessment, sST2 concentrations higher than 40 pg/mL indicated higher mortality compared to groups with lower sST2 values. Results suggest that sST2's performance as a standalone diagnostic test is limited and inferior to the other studied biomarkers. However, sST2 seems to be a useful independent prognostic marker, and mortality predictor in dogs with CMVD. Chronic valvular heart disease (CVHD) is the most common morbidity, of great relevance in the internal medicine of small animals. The scope of the present study was to evaluate the main diagnoses performed in an 11-year (2005-2015) period at the cardiology unit of a teaching hospital. In the period of the study, 11,921 dogs were attended, with gender balance: 51% males and 49% females. Mongrel dogs and Poodles represented both 25% of the animals. The mean age of the patients was 129 months, of which 45% (5,387) sought the unit for pre-anesthetic evaluation. Excluding pre-anesthetic evaluation, CVHD accounted for 64% of the diagnoses, healthy dogs 19%, congenital anomalies 3%, arrhythmias 3%, pericardial effusion 3% (178) Retrospective review of medical records for dogs with MMVD was performed. Client-owned forty-eight dogs were included in this study. Every dog was presented for evaluation of heart disease: 34 dogs with MMVD (according to mitral regurgitation(MR) severity: mild, n = 12; moderate, n = 11; and severe groups, n = 11) and 14 healthy age and weight-matched controls. The conventional echocardiographic parameters including fractional shortening (FS), ejection fraction (EF), E velocity, E/A ratio, E/E' ratio, left atrium to aorta ratio (LA/Ao), end-systolic volumes indexed to body surface area in B-mode (EDVI B ), end-diastolic volumes indexed to body surface area in B-mode (ESVI B ) and PW TDI parameters were recorded. The left atrial speckle tracking imaging includin