2017 ACVIM Forum Research Abstract Program

Substantial variation in circulating CAM concentrations exists between cats, and 47% of this variation could be attributed to individual differences in clopidogrel metabolism to CAM. Galectin-3 (Gal-3) is novel serum biomarker associated with fibrosis and inflammation of heart failure in human patients. However, there are no studies determining reference values or evaluating the influence of gender and age on Gal-3 in healthy dogs. This study aimed to establish reference intervals for Gal-3 in a healthy dog population and to evaluate the influence of gender and age on this biomarker concentration. A prospective cross sectional clinical study was conducted, and included a sample of 60 healthy smallto-medium size dogs, males and females, adults of different ages. Considering the gene homology of approximately 85% (http:// www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/homologene) between canine and human Gal-3, human ELISA kit (KitRD#DGAL30, Quantikine ELISA, Fenix, USA) and canine (dog Galectina-3, EIAab Ò , Wuhan EIAAB Science, China) were tested. Gal-3 concentration recovery for healthy dogs obtained with canine kit was significantly lower, with low repeatability and reproducibility, compared to the human kit, suggesting lower sensitivity of the canine Gal-3 kit used. Reference values obtained for human Gal-3 were 7.548 ng/mL (P 25%-75% = 8.933-10.960). There was no significant difference in Gal-3 serum levels between males and females (P = 0.2297) or between age groups ≤6 years and >6 years in the study population (P = 0.6936). The evaluation of the biological variation of this biomarker showed that concentrations of Gal-3 were unaffected by age and gender. These data suggest a reference range for the biomarker human Gal-3 in healthy dogs. Chronic mitral valve degeneration (CMVD) is a highly prevalent heart disease seen mainly in older small breed dogs. In order to follow the progression of heart failure (HF), galectin-3 (Gal-3) has been applied as a biomarker to identify pre-clinical cardiac diseases, progression and decompensation in human patients. This study aimed to establish the utility of this new biomarker, isolated or in association with Type B natriuretic pro-peptide (NT-proBNP) and cardiac troponin I to estimate short term prognosis in dogs with HF caused by CMVD. It was designed as a prospective cross-sectional clinical study with a longitudinal arm. One hundred thirty nine dogs were distributed among five groups with rigorous selection criteria, according to ACVIM CMVD staging (Control group: stage A-60 healthy small breed dogs, predisposed to CMVD; 28 dogs in stage B1, 20 dogs in stage B2, 20 dogs in stage C and 11 dogs in stage D), recruited from a Veterinary Teaching Hospital. Groups B1, B2, C and D had a second blood sampling at day 60. Measurements were obtained for human Gal-3, NT-proBNP and cTnI. Reference values obtained for group A for human Gal-3 were 7.548 ng/mL (P 25%-75% = 8.933-10.960). We concluded that the magnitude and variation observed in Gal-3 did not allow for detection of differences between stages of CMVD nor were capable of identifying patients in HF, compared to the other measured biomarkers, NT-proBNP and cTnI, already established for canine HF evaluation. Although not assessed in standard echocardiography, longitudinal myocardial fibers play an active role in ventricular contraction. Longitudinal Strain (LSt) and Tissue Motion Annular Displacement (TMAD) are techniques that evaluate these fibers. TMAD, which has not been