Abstract:
Although cardiac pathology and consequently elevated serum cardiac troponin I (cTnI) have
been reported, clinically it remains difficult to diagnose cardiac involvement in canine
babesiosis. Thus the use of cardiac biomarkers would be useful in determining if a dog
with babesiosis also has concurrent cardiac dysfunction. The objectives of this study were
to determine plasma N terminal brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in canine babesiosis
and if it is correlated with cTnI. Three groups of dogs with babesiosis were used: mild
uncomplicated (Group 1), severe uncomplicated (Group 2), and complicated (Group 3), and
a control group (Group 4) with 15 dogs per group. Each animal had the following determined:
serum urea and creatinine, urea: creatinine ratio, cystatin-C, cTnI, blood lactate,
plasma NT-proBNP, fractional shortening (FS), and blood pressure. The median NT-proBNP
value in Groups 1–4 was 246, 650, 638, and 106 pmol/l. All 3 babesiosis groups had a statistically
elevated NT-proBNP level compared to the control group and Groups 2 and 3 showed
significantly higher values compared to Group 1. Median cTnI in Group 1–3 was 0.39, 0.4,
and 1.45 ng/ml, respectively with the control group having concentrations below the detection
limit (0.2 ng/ml). There was a significant difference in cTnI concentration between the
control group and group 3 but no statistical difference between the other babesiosis groups.
The study concluded that dogs with babesiosis showed elevated levels NT-proBNP and
the more severe the disease process the greater the elevation. This elevation is earlier or
independent of the increased cTnI.
