2015 ACVIM Forum Research Abstract Program

Thirty two males and 58 females were screened. Mean age was 4.61 years (1.2-11.1 years) and mean body weight was 66.4 kg (49.4-103.9 kg). Each dog was classified into one of eight major groups: Normal (n = 35); inconsequential mitral and/or aortic valve insufficiencies (n = 28); IWH type DCM with AF (n = 10); AF with equivocal IWH Type DCM (n = 1); equivocal elevations in left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) velocities (1.7-2.25 m/sec.) (n = 7); presence of ventricular arrhythmias (VPCs) with normal echocardiogram (n = 7); lone AF (n = 1); and chemodectoma (n = 1). NT-proBNP and cTnI levels were run on all 90 dogs and the results are summarized below. Based on 35 normal dogs in this study, reference interval upper limits for NT-proBNP and cTnI were calculated at 2937pmol/L and 0.99 ng/mL, respectively. NT-proBNP and cTnI correlated well with cardiac disease in a small sampling of cardiac diseased Irish Wolfhounds and showed significant differences between groups by Kruskal-Wallis test (P < 0.0001 and P = 0.0007, respectively). NT-proBNP shows promise as a screening tool for differentiating the presence of equivocal or overt DCM/AF from the absence of DCM/AF in the Irish Wolfhound (AUC = 0.967 by ROC) but is likely to be significantly increased in the absence of DCM for dogs with lone AF. Lesser potential was exhibited by cTnI (AUC = 0.783 by ROC) as a screening tool for IWH-type DCM. Follow-up studies with both echocardiography and ECG on the Irish Wolfhounds found to have either elevated NTproBNP and/or cTnI along with normal echocardiography/ECG will be required to determine if NT-proBNP may have a predictive factor for the development of overt cardiomyopathy and/or atrial fibrillation in this breed of dog. Arterial thromboembolism (ATE) is a common and devastating complication of feline cardiovascular disease. There is limited evidence supporting the efficacy of traditional strategies for ATE prophylaxis in cats. Apixiban is a novel oral factor Xa inhibitor that is superior to warfarin in preventing stroke or systemic embolism in people with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. Apixaban is FDA approved for this indication as well as for the treatment and secondary prophylaxis of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) in people. Preliminary pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) data for a single oral dose of pure apixaban in cats were obtained during a previous study at Colorado State University. However, multidose PK and PD data using the commercially available tablet are needed. The purposes of this study were to obtain PK and PD data after multi-dose oral administration of the commercially available apixaban tablet and to establish appropriate oral dose and dosing intervals for this formulation. Additionally, side effects associated with multi-dose administration were documented.