2017 ACVIM Forum Research Abstract Program

In conclusion, corrective surgery for upper airway obstruction may release the right ventricle from an increased afterload and stabilize systolic function values. However, apparently does not improve the quality of life of patients undergoing to these interventions. Restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM) is the second most common feline primary cardiomyopathy. However, few data are available regarding prognostic variables in large feline RCM populations. The aim of this retrospective study was therefore to analyze the clinical course of cats diagnosed with RCM between 2001 and 2015 at the Alfort Cardiology Unit, and to identify factors associated with cardiac death (CD). RCM diagnosis was based on the following echocardiographic criteria: left atrial (LA) or biatrial enlargement associated with normal or mildly altered left ventricle (LV). Cats with mildly altered LV should also have a restrictive LV filling pattern. Median survival time to CD and adjusted hazard ratios (HR) were estimated by Kaplan-Meier method and multivariable Cox models, respectively. The study population consisted of 92 cats with RCM. Most RCM cats (64/92, 70%) were symptomatic at the time of diagnosis, with dyspnea related to congestive heart failure in 57/64 cats (89%). Fifty-eight of the 72 RCM cats for which follow-up was available died (81%). CD represented 64% of all death causes, with a median survival time from diagnosis to CD of 667 days. Independently of age, biatrial enlargement and arrhythmia, the risk of CD was increased by both the LA on aorta (Ao) ratio and the presence of severe LA enlargement (LA:Ao ratio ≥2): HR=4.2 for a 1-unit increase, 95% confidence interval (CI)=[1.7-10.7] (P = 0.002) and HR=2.5, 95% CI= [1.1-5.6] (P = 0.003), respectively. In conclusion, CD is common in RCM cats, and LA enlargement is significantly associated with decreased survival time. Arterial thromboemboli (ATE) are a devastating consequence of heart disease in cats. Although the antiplatelet medication clopidogrel has shown superior efficacy to aspirin for prevention of cardiogenic ATE in cats, treatment failures with clopidogrel still occur. In humans, treatment failures are often attributed to variation in metabolism of clopidogrel to the clopidogrel active metabolite (CAM). The primary objectives of this project were to quantify variation in plasma CAM concentrations between cats and determine if these differences are correlated with variability in clopidogrel metabolism and/or body weight.