Association between Survival Time and Changes in NT-proBNP in Cats Treated for Congestive Heart Failure

Figures

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  Figure 1. Box plot of N‐terminal pro‐B‐type natriuretic peptide (NT‐proBNP) concentrations in 31 cats with a first‐time episode of congestive heart failure secondary to cardiomyopathy. Concentrations of NT‐proBNP were measured at 3 time points in all cats: Within 4 hours of admission to the hospital (admission), at the time of discharge from the initial hospitalization (discharge), and at the re‐evaluation 7–10 days later (re‐evaluation). For each plot, the box represents the central 50% of the values. The horizontal line within the box represents the median NT‐proBNP concentration, and the bars indicate the range. Median NT‐proBNP concentrations decreased significantly over the course of the 3 time points (P < .012), with significant changes from admission to discharge (P = .005) and from admission to re‐evaluation (P = .024), but not from discharge to re‐evaluation (P = .58).

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  Figure 2. Kaplan‐Meier survival curve for 31 cats with a first‐time episode of congestive heart failure (CHF). Cats with CHF that had a decrease in the percent N‐terminal pro‐B‐type natriuretic peptide (NT‐proBNP) concentration during hospitalization that was larger than or equal to the median NT‐proBNP concentration (solid line) had a significantly longer survival time (median survival time = 182 days [range, 2–379 days]) than cats with a decrease in percent NT‐proBNP concentrations that was less than the median (dashed line; median survival time = 60 days [range, 6–709 days]; P = .048).

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  Figure 3. Kaplan‐Meier survival curve for 31 cats with a first‐time episode of congestive heart failure (CHF). Cats whose owners did not have trouble administering medications (solid line) had a longer survival time compared to cats whose owners had trouble administering medications (dashed line; P = .045).