2016 ACVIM Forum Research Abstract Program

Thirty-two cats were enrolled (25 male, 7 female; all neutered), with a median age of 9.6 years (range 1.1 to 18.0 years). Thirtyone (97%) cats survived to discharge and 28 cats (88%) survived to the 7-10 day re-evaluation. Median NT-proBNP concentrations at admission and hospital discharge were 1,713 pmol/L (range, 160 to 3,784 pmol/L) and 902 pmol/L (range, 147 to 3,223 pmol/L), respectively. Median NT-proBNP concentration at re-evaluation was 1,124 pmol/L (range, 111 to 2,727 pmol/L). Median NT-proBNP concentrations decreased significantly from admission to discharge (P < 0.001) and from admission to re-evaluation (P < 0.001), but not from discharge to re-evaluation (P = 0.28). Median survival time was 109 days (range, 1 to 606 days), with 6 cats (19%) still alive at the time of analysis. Cats that received pimobendan had a significantly greater decrease in NT-proBNP concentrations [À821 pmol/L (range, À2,163 to À267 pmol/L) from admission to discharge compared to cats that did not receive pimobendan [À561 pmol/L (range, À2137 to 889 pmol/L); P = 0.045]. Cats whose owners had difficulty administering medications (n = 11) had a shorter survival time [median 60 days (range, 2 to 234 days)] compared to owners who did not report difficulty [n = 21, median 115 days (range, 1 to 606 days)]; however this was not statistically significant (P = 0.12).