Synapse
⌘+K
Synapse
PulseExploreJournal ClubResearchersJournals
Instagram
HomeJournal ClubExplore
September 17, 2026Frontiers in Veterinary ScienceOpen Access

Diagnostic performance of Vcheck NT-proBNP and cardiac troponin I assays for detection of dilated cardiomyopathy in Doberman Pinschers

View Full Paper
Ask AI
Bookmark
Share

Why the study?

Does the Vcheck V200 point-of-care assay for NT-proBNP and cTnI accurately detect dilated cardiomyopathy in Doberman Pinschers compared to laboratory-based assays?

Population

345 privately owned, purebred Doberman Pinschers in Germany clinically classified into five stages based on…

Comparison

Vcheck V200 point-of-care immunofluorescence-base… vs Laboratory-based IDEXX cTnI assay

Design

Cohort

Key result

Vcheck NT-proBNP and cTnI point-of-care assays effectively detected dilated cardiomyopathy in Doberman Pinschers with AUCs of 0.845 and 0.809, respectively, though the laboratory-based IDEXX cTnI assay showed higher diagnostic accuracy.

Authors

HDHelena DriessenJFJana FriederichGWGerhard Wess

Discussion

Loading...

Member takes

Overview

Supports point-of-care DCM screening in Dobermans; leaves open whether it matches lab accuracy in prospective use.

Key Points

  • To evaluate the diagnostic performance of the point-of-care Vcheck V200 NT-proBNP and cardiac troponin I assays in detecting dilated cardiomyopathy across different disease stages in Doberman Pinschers and compare troponin I findings with a central laboratory assay.
  • Conducted a prospective longitudinal study analyzing 453 serum samples from 345 privately owned, purebred Doberman Pinschers in Germany clinically classified into five stages (A, last normal, B1, B2, and C).
  • Evaluated dogs using physical examination, echocardiography, 24-h Holter monitoring, and Vcheck V200 biomarker testing, with a subset of 358 samples concurrently evaluated via a laboratory-based IDEXX cTnI assay.
  • Point-of-care NT-proBNP at a cutoff of ≥580 pmol/L achieved 76.6% sensitivity and 83.1% specificity (AUC 0.845), whereas Vcheck cTnI at ≥0.21 ng/mL achieved 71.0% sensitivity and 78.3% specificity (AUC 0.809).
  • Combining both point-of-care biomarkers improved overall diagnostic performance (AUC 0.886) with higher sensitivity but reduced specificity, while the laboratory IDEXX cTnI assay demonstrated superior accuracy, particularly in early-stage disease and 'last normal' dogs.

Study Design

Type

Observational (n=345)

Multicenter

No

Structured PICO

Does the Vcheck V200 point-of-care assay for NT-proBNP and cTnI accurately detect dilated cardiomyopathy in Doberman Pinschers compared to laboratory-based assays?

P
Population
345 privately owned, purebred Doberman Pinschers in Germany, free of relevant systemic disease, evaluated for dilated cardiomyopathy using echocardiography and Holter monitoring.
E
Exposure
Vcheck V200 point-of-care immunofluorescence-based assay for NT-proBNP and cTnI
C
Comparator
Laboratory-based IDEXX cTnI assay (in a subset of 358 samples)
O
Outcome
Diagnostic performance (sensitivity, specificity, AUC) for detecting different stages of dilated cardiomyopathysurrogate

Main Result

Effect estimate: AUC 0.845 for NT-proBNP and AUC 0.809 for cTnI

p-value: p=<0.001

The Vcheck V200 point-of-care assay provides a practical tool for in-clinic biomarker assessment of dilated cardiomyopathy in Doberman Pinschers, though the laboratory-based IDEXX cTnI assay showed higher diagnostic accuracy for early-stage detection.

Limitations

  • Some dogs contributed multiple serum samples over time, and within-dog correlation was not accounted for in the statistical analysis.
  • Prolonged storage duration of some serum samples (up to 9.5 years) without a prospective stability assessment.
  • Some dogs with established DCM were receiving cardiac medication at the time of sample collection.
  • Dogs with equivocal echocardiographic findings or uncertain stage assignment were excluded, potentially overestimating diagnostic accuracy.
  • Undetected subclinical extracardiac disease or mild renal dysfunction cannot be completely excluded.

Cite This Study

Driessen et al. (2026) conducted an observational in Dilated cardiomyopathy (n=345). Vcheck NT-proBNP and cardiac troponin I (cTnI) assays vs. Healthy controls (Stage A) / IDEXX cTnI assay was evaluated on Diagnostic performance (AUC) for detecting dilated cardiomyopathy (stages B1, B2, C vs healthy stage A) (AUC 0.845 for NT-proBNP and AUC 0.809 for cTnI, p=<0.001). Vcheck NT-proBNP and cTnI point-of-care assays effectively detected dilated cardiomyopathy in Doberman Pinschers with AUCs of 0.845 and 0.809, respectively, though the laboratory-based IDEXX cTnI assay showed higher diagnostic accuracy.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6aabb6445f706d05830e4b8dhttps://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2026.1895815
View Full Paper
Ask AI
Bookmark
Share