Plasma N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide concentration in healthy retired racing Greyhounds

• Published in: Veterinary clinical pathology Vol. 44; no. 3; pp. 405 - 409
• Main Authors: Couto, Kristen M., Iazbik, M. Cristina, Marín, Liliana M., Zaldivar-López, Sara, Beal, Melissa J., Gómez Ochoa, P., Couto, C. Guillermo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.09.2015; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Animals; Athlete's heart; Biomarkers - blood; cardiac biomarkers; cardiac disease; congestive heart failure; Dog Diseases - blood; Dogs - blood; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay - veterinary; Female; Heart Failure - blood; Heart Failure - veterinary; Male; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain - blood; Peptide Fragments - blood; Prospective Studies; sighthound; Species Specificity; Troponin I - blood; Athlete's heart; cardiac biomarkers; cardiac disease; congestive heart failure; sighthound
• ISSN: 0275-6382; 1939-165X
• DOI: 10.1111/vcp.12266

Background N‐terminal pro‐B‐type natriuretic peptide (NT‐proBNP) is a cardiac biomarker whose plasma concentration is high in some dogs with cardiopulmonary disease. NT‐proBNP is a diagnostic tool that can be used to help determine if a patient has congestive heart failure. Greyhounds have functional heart murmurs, relative cardiomegaly, and high serum cTnI concentration. Objectives The purpose of the study was to evaluate the plasma concentration of NT‐proBNP in healthy Greyhounds and compare it to non‐Greyhound dogs. Methods We prospectively evaluated healthy client‐owned dogs including retired racing Greyhounds and non‐Greyhounds. Plasma was obtained and transferred into tubes containing a protease inhibitor and submitted for a specific NT‐proBNP ELISA assay. Results The plasma NT‐proBNP concentration in Greyhounds was significantly higher than in non‐Greyhound control dogs (946 vs 632 pmol/L; P < .005); 46% of Greyhounds had NT‐proBNP > 1000 pmol/L. Conclusions Plasma NT‐proBNP concentration in Greyhounds is high and should be interpreted with caution.