Correlation of malondialdehyde concentration with cardiac parameters of different stages of chronic mitral valve disease in dogs

Malondialdehyde (MDA) is a biomarker of oxidative metabolism, released under situations such as the stretching of atrial myocytes, a fact related to the development of chronic mitral valve disease (MVD) in dogs. This study aimed to evaluate the serum concentration of MDA in dogs at different stages of MVD and correlate it with echocardiographic and radiographic parameters referring to cardiomegaly signs. Thirty-seven dogs were divided into four stages of the disease: GA (n=10), GB1 (n=10), GB2 (n=9), and GC (n=8), following the criteria of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM). Blood was collected by jugular puncture and then the serum was frozen for later measurement of MDA concentration by the spectrophotometry technique. No difference was found in MDA concentration between groups despite the presence of cardiac remodeling in dogs at advanced stages of MVD. Moreover, no significant relationship was observed between MDA values and the studied cardiovascular parameters. Serum MDA showed no variation throughout MVD development even with evidence of its release, with no possibility of demonstrating the relationship between its concentration and the cardiovascular alterations caused by the disease in dogs.