Key result
Healthy retired racing Greyhounds have ~50% higher plasma NT-proBNP levels than non-Greyhound controls.
Why the study?
Is plasma NT-proBNP concentration higher in healthy retired racing Greyhounds compared to non-Greyhound dogs?
Observational
Is plasma NT-proBNP concentration higher in healthy retired racing Greyhounds compared to non-Greyhound dogs?
Healthy retired racing Greyhounds have significantly higher baseline plasma NT-proBNP concentrations compared to non-Greyhound dogs, indicating that this biomarker should be interpreted with caution in this breed.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Requires caution interpreting NT-proBNP in retired racing Greyhounds; leaves open breed-specific thresholds and validation in disease.
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.
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Couto et al. (2015) conducted an observational in Healthy dogs. Greyhound breed vs. Non-Greyhound dogs was evaluated on Plasma NT-proBNP concentration (p=< .005). Healthy retired racing Greyhounds had significantly higher plasma NT-proBNP concentrations compared to non-Greyhound control dogs (946 vs 632 pmol/L; P < .005).
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