Assessment of left atrial function in dogs with mitral valve myxomatous degeneration

• Grant number: 13/04444-0
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): June 01, 2013
• Effective date (End): March 31, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Clinics and Surgery
• Principal researcher: Denise Saretta Schwartz
• Grantee: Matheus Matioli Mantovani
• Home Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The echocardiogram is considered the noninvasive method of choice for early detection of lesions in mitral valve assessment of severity of mitral regurgitation, estimate filling pressures of the left ventricle and determination of myocardial function. However, due to volume overload, the ventricular remodeling and hemodynamic changes associated with progression of myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD), the estimation of ventricular filling pressure and detection of myocardial dysfunction in the presence of the heart disease are challenging. The decrease in left atrial function usually reflects elevated ventricular filling pressures and may indicate the degree of ventricular dysfunction in patients with significant valvular disease. Although several experimental studies in dogs have used echocardiographic indexes for detection of congestive heart failure (CHF), data on dogs with naturally acquired MMVD are scarce. In addition, to date no clinical study examined left atrial function using two-dimensional speckle tracking and estimation of atrial volume by Simpson's method in dogs with MMVD. The objective of this clinical study is to evaluate left atrial function by two-dimensional echocardiography in dogs affected with MMVD naturally acquired with and without congestive heart failure, and to determine the usefulness of echocardiographic indices in early diagnosis of CHF. Our hypothesis is that the echocardiographic indices obtained to assess left atrial function may help in early diagnosis of CHF in canine patients affected by myxomatous mitral valve. (AU)