Abstract:
BACKGROUND : Currently, the pathogenesis of congestive heart failure (CHF) in cats is
not fully understood.
OBJECTIVE : To identify novel biomarkers for CHF in cats caused by primary cardiomyopathy,
particularly related to cardiovascular-renal axis disorder and systemic inflammatory
response.
ANIMALS : Twenty-five cats in CHF caused by primary cardiomyopathy, 12 cats with
preclinical cardiomyopathy, and 20 healthy controls.
METHODS : Case control and observational case series. The following serum biomarkers
were compared among the 3 cat groups: a cardiorenal profile that included N-terminal
pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA), and
creatinine and an inflammatory profile that included 7 acute-phase proteins (APPs).
Survival analyses and longitudinal studies were performed in CHF cats.
RESULTS : All cardiorenal biomarkers were positively correlated and higher in CHF cats,
and high NT-proBNP and SDMA were associated with poor clinical outcome. Cats with
CHF had significantly higher leucine-rich alpha-2-glycoprotein 1, serum amyloid A, and ceruloplasmin, and these APPs were positively correlated with NT-proBNP and left atrial
size. In a multivariable survival analysis, alpha-1-acid glycoprotein concentration (P = .01),
body weight (P = .02) and left atrial-to-aortic root ratio (P = .01) were independent
prognostic factors for CHF in these cats.
CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE : In cats, CHF is an inflammatory disorder and outcome
in CHF may be determined by the extent of inflammation and possibly the amount
of residual renal function. These novel biomarkers have potential use for the clinical
management, prognosis, and future research into CHF and cardiomyopathy in cats.
