Cardiac troponins in canine babesiosis

This study compared the sensitivity of ECG and cardiac troponins to predict cardiac histopathological changes, clinical severity, and survival in canine babesiosis. One control group (n = 9) and 4 groups of dogs with mild uncomplicated babesiosis (n = 8), severe uncomplicated babesiosis (n = 9), complicated babesiosis (n = 8), and babesiosis and concurrent immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA) (n = 9) were studied. A 1-minute lead II ECG was recorded, and cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and T (cTnT) concentrations in plasma were measured. cTnI concentrations were significantly higher in the complicated (mean, 9.9; SE, +/-5.76) and concurrent IMHA (mean, 6.53; SE, +/-4.32) groups and in the 3 dogs that died of the disease (mean, 22.17; SE, +/-12.85) than in the control dogs (concentration below detection limit of test, -0.3 ng/mL). The 3 nonsurvivors had the most severe cardiac histopathological changes, but no arrhythmia and minimal other ECG changes. Dogs with babesiosis developed a variety of ECG abnormalities, but the abnormalities were not associated with disease severity, outcome, or plasma cardiac troponin concentrations. The exception was the presence of ventricular premature complexes (VPCs), which were associated with high cardiac troponin concentrations. This study showed an association between cTnI concentration and histological changes, clinical severity, and survival and no correlation between ECG abnormalities and histological changes or biochemical evidence of myocardial damage as reflected by cTnI concentrations. From this study, it was concluded that the analysis of plasma cTnI is a feasible and sensitive test and is superior to cTnT in diagnosing cardiac involvement in dogs with babesiosis.     

Burn-induced subepicardial injury in frog heart: a simple model mimicking ST segment changes in ischemic heart disease

To mimic ischemic heart disease in humans, several animal models have been created, mainly in rodents bysurgically ligating their coronary arteries. In the present study, by simply inducing burn injuries on thebullfrog heart, we reproduced abnormal ST segment changes in the electrocardiogram (ECG), mimicking thoseobserved in ischemic heart disease, such as acute myocardial infarction and angina pectoris. The “currents ofinjury” created by a voltage gradient between the intact and damaged areas of the myocardium, negativelydeflected the ECG vector during the diastolic phase, making the ST segment appear elevated during the systolicphase. This frog model of heart injury would be suitable to explain the mechanisms of ST segment changesobserved in ischemic heart disease.     

Correlation of Serum Cardiac Troponin I and Myocardial Damage in Cattle with Monensin Toxicosis

Background: Cardiac troponin I (cTnI) is used as a biomarker of myocardial injury in people and small animals. Little is known about the diagnostic use of cTnI in cattle.
Hypothesis: Serum cTnI correlates to myocardial function and histopathologic lesions in cattle with monensin-induced myocardial injury.
Animals: Ten healthy cows.
Methods: Experimental study. Animals received 1 dose of monensin PO; 30 mg/kg (n = 1) or 40 mg/kg (n = 1) (Group A) or 50 mg/kg monensin (n = 8) (Group B) of body weight. Repeated measurements were performed of serum cTnI, biochemistry, and ECG and echocardiography until study termination at 80 (Group A) and 144 hours (Group B) after dosing. Semiquantitative histopathologic examinations of the heart were performed in each cow. A scoring system with regard to the magnitude of myocardial injury was established and a total heart score was compared with maximum cTnI concentration measured after monensin administration. Five hearts from healthy cows served as controls.
Results: Increased cTnI (>0.07 ng/mL) was found in 9/10 cows. cTnI was significantly associated with left ventricular shortening fraction ( r ²= 0.51; P = .02) and myocardial histopathologic lesion score ( r ²= 0.49; P = .021). All cows (n = 7) with evidence of myocardial necrosis had a cTnI concentration ≥ 1.04 ng/mL.
Conclusion and Clinical Importance: cTnI is related to myocardial necrosis and severity of myocardial damage in cattle with monensin toxicosis. cTnI could become a useful diagnostic tool in the noninvasive assessment of myocardial injury in cattle with naturally occurring cardiac disease.     

狐胆汁对蟾蜍离体心脏功能的影响

目的：研究狐胆汁对蟾蜍离体心脏的作用及对蟾蜍离体心脏细胞膜ATP酶活性的影响。方法：采用离体蛙心灌流法观察狐胆汁对离体蟾蜍心脏的收缩力、心率的影响,并通过定磷法检测狐胆汁对离体蟾蜍心肌细胞膜ATP酶活性的影响。结果：狐胆汁使蟾蜍离体心脏的收缩力加强,在0.3～4.0g/L浓度范围内,狐胆汁促进心肌收缩力的作用与剂量之间呈量效关系,最大效应可使心肌收缩力提高390%,心率减慢。随狐胆汁浓度提高,心肌细胞膜Ca^2＋-ATP酶活性提高,Na^＋K^＋-ATP酶、Mg^2＋-ATP酶、Ca^2＋Mg^2＋-ATP酶活性下降。结论：狐胆汁能提高蟾蜍离体心脏的功能,其作用机制有待进一步研究。     

Cardiac ganglioneuroma in a juvenile pig

A cardiac mass (3 × 5 × 3 cm) was detected at the base between the right auricular wall and right vena cava of a slaughtered 6-month-old female mixed-breed pig during a meat inspection. The tumor comprised infiltrative prominent interweaving fascicles of Schwann cells with Verocay bodies. Moreover, the ganglion cells were scattered or aggregated throughout the neoplastic tissue. The ganglion and Schwann cells had neither cellular atypism nor mitosis. On the basis of the bearing site as well as the morphological and immunohistochemical features, this is the first case of a cardiac ganglioneuroma in a pig.     

山羊心脏淋巴系的研究

在４０例山羊心外膜下多点注入３０％普鲁士蓝氯仿溶液，解剖观察心脏淋巴管及其淋巴流向；选择注射较好的心脏标本制成透明铺片，镜下观察测定淋巴管管径，并摄影记录。结果表明，山羊心脏的毛细淋巴管起自一盲端，并吻合成淋巴管丛，淋巴管有瓣膜，粗细不均。三级淋巴管汇入锥旁室间沟或冠状沟附近的四级淋巴管。四级淋巴管汇合成淋巴干，山羊心脏的淋巴干分２种类型，即双干型与单干型。淋巴干一般注入气管支气管左淋巴结，有时右淋巴干直接注入胸导管。心房壁薄，淋巴管比心室少而细     

旋毛虫致小鼠心肌损伤的试验

本研究旨在对重度感染旋毛虫后小鼠心肌损伤的研究。通过对小鼠接种旋毛虫,1 000条/只,分别于不同时间对血清中心肌损伤标志物H-FABP、CK-MB和cTnT进行动态检测,以及心肌组织病理形态学变化进行观察。结果显示,H-FABP比CK-MB、cTnT敏感性高(P<0.05),出现及达到高峰的时间最早;感染旋毛虫后19d～24d,心肌组织损伤最为严重。H-FABP可用于早期旋毛虫病患者心肌损伤的诊断,具有较高的敏感性和特异性。     

Spontaneous Cardiac Hypertrophy in a Crl:CD(SD) Rat

Cardiac hypertrophy was observed in a 9-week-old Crl:CD(SD) rat that died unexpectedly. The animal was allocated to the control group of a toxicity study, and no abnormalities in its general conditions, body weight or food intake were observed. Necropsy revealed an increase in heart weight. Gross examination indicated cardiac enlargement with thickening of the right and left ventricular walls. Histopathological examination revealed hypertrophy of the cardiomyocytes in the right and left ventricular walls and the interventricular septum. Electron microscopic examination indicated bizarre nuclei and accumulation of an increased number of various sizes of mitochondria in the perinuclear region of the hypertrophied myocytes. Hypertrophied myocytes connected by intensely folded intercalated disks were also observed. Based on these findings, the animal was diagnosed with cardiac hypertrophy. This is the first case report of cardiac hypertrophy in this strain.     

Genetic Analysis of Ventricular Arrhythmia in Young German Shepherd Dogs

Background: Ventricular arrhythmias (VA) and sudden death are inherited in German Shepherd Dogs (GSDs).
Objectives: To estimate the genetic parameters (heritabilities and correlations) of 3 traits of VA (single premature ventricular complexes (PVCs), 2 consecutive PVCs (couplets), and 3 or more consecutive PVCs—ventricular tachycardia [VT]).
Animals: Three hundred and ninety-eight GSDs.
Methods: Prospective, observational, case control study. Dogs were phenotyped by 24-hour ambulatory ECG from 6 to 45 weeks of age. Edited ECG records included the number of incidents of (1) single PVCs, (2) couplets, and (3) VT.
Results: A data set of 1,239 Holter records from 398 GSDs was used to estimate genetic variables. Phenotypic correlations for affectedness (binarily coded 0/1) of the 3 traits ranged from 0.55 to 0.74, whereas correlations for severity (continuous values of 24-hour VA counts) ranged from 0.26 to 0.39. Estimates of genetic correlation among the severity traits were 0.06 to 0.27. Estimated heritabilities were 0.54, 0.54, and 0.46 for affectedness and 0.33, 0.69, and 0.69 for severity of PVCs, couplets, and VT, respectively. Month and year of birth and age at ECG recording had significant effects on all 3 traits. Season of ECG recording had a significant effect on the number of single PVCs, but not couplets or incidents of VT. Age of onset differed, with single PVCs appearing an average of 4 days earlier than couplets and VT.
Conclusion: These results imply a strong genetic component for this disease but suggest that differences in the 3 traits should be taken into consideration in studies to identify the underlying genes.     

The Cardiac Biomarker NT-proBNP Is Increased in Dogs with Azotemia

Background: Amino‐terminal probrain natriuretic peptide (NT‐proBNP) has been proposed as a useful biomarker for heart disease in dogs. In humans, decreased glomerular filtration rate (GFR) increases NT‐proBNP. Objective: To investigate whether decreased GFR as indicated by plasma creatinine concentration is associated with increased NT‐proBNP in dogs without heart disease. Animals: Four groups of dogs: healthy (n= 39), azotemic (n= 36), heart disease (n= 37), and congestive heart failure (CHF) (n= 7) presented to 2 teaching hospitals. Methods: Prospective observational cohort study. Plasma creatinine concentration and NT‐proBNP were measured in every dog. Nonparametric tests were used to compare the differences among groups. The median and actual results for each group were compared with the manufacturer's recommended and previously published suggestions for cut‐off values for diagnosis of heart disease. Results: Median (range) plasma creatinine concentration was 1.47 (1.06–1.70), 4.36 (1.74–15.6), 1.22 (0.69–1.91), and 1.45 (0.63–1.64) mg/dL and median (range) NT‐proBNP was 118 (2–673), 556 (37–1,819), 929 (212–5,658), and 3,144 (432–5,500) pmol/L for the healthy, azotemic, heart disease, and CHF groups, respectively. Pair‐wise comparison indicated a significant difference among all groups for NT‐proBNP (P≤ .049). Plasma creatinine concentration was significantly higher in the azotemic group compared with other groups (P < .001) but there was no significant among other groups. Application of 3 recommended cut‐off values led to misclassification of dogs with azotemia as having heart disease. Conclusions: Azotemia results in NT‐proBNP being increased to concentrations reported as diagnostic of heart disease or heart failure in dogs. Care should be employed when interpreting the results of NT‐proBNP in patients with known or possible increased plasma creatinine concentration.     

Prevalence of mitral valve regurgitation in 79 asymptomatic Norfolk terriers

Objectives

To determine the prevalence of mitral valve regurgitation (MR) in asymptomatic Swedish Norfolk terriers.

梅花鹿和驯鹿外周血和茸血对牛蛙离体心脏心肌收缩力和心率的影响

为探讨鹿血对牛蛙离体心脏收缩力和心率的影响,采用斯氏法离体蛙心,分别用不同的鹿血对离体心脏进行灌流,用BL 420E生物技能试验系统记录离体心脏给药前、后心肌收缩力和心率的变化。试验结果表明:梅花鹿外周血、梅花鹿茸血、驯鹿外周血和驯鹿茸血与任氏液对照组相比心肌收缩力增加42.27%¹26.62%,差异极显著(P<0.01),其中梅花鹿外周血和驯鹿外周血较比梅花鹿茸血和驯鹿茸血对增强离体蛙心心肌收缩力更为明显,但对各组间的心率没有影响(P>0.05)。