Open AccessIncreased Pulmonary Transit Times in Asymptomatic Dogs with Mitral Regurgitation
Author(s) -
Lord Peter,
Eriksson Anders,
Haggstrom Jens,
Järvinen AnnaKaisa,
Kvart Clarence,
Hansson Kerstin,
Maripuu Enn,
Mäkelä Olli
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
journal of veterinary internal medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.356
H-Index - 103
eISSN - 1939-1676
pISSN - 0891-6640
DOI - 10.1111/j.1939-1676.2003.tb02521.x
Subject(s) - medicine , cardiology , mitral regurgitation , asymptomatic , heart rate , pulmonary regurgitation , cardiac index , blood pressure , heart disease , tetralogy of fallot
Pulmonary transit time (PTT) normalized to heart rate (nPTT) is a measure of the pulmonary blood volume (PBV) to stroke volume ratio (PBV/SV). It is an index of cardiac performance. To determine the effect of compensated mitral regurgitation (CMR) and decompensated mitral regurgitation (DMR) caused by valvular endocardiosis on the index nPTT, we measured nPTT by first‐pass radionuclide angiocardiography and ECG in 13 normal dogs, 18 dogs with CMR, and 13 dogs with DMR. PTT was measured as time between onset of appearance of activity at the pulmonary trunk and the left atrium. In the normal dogs, the relationship between PTT and mean R‐R interval (mRR) was PTT = 4.08 X mRR + 0.15 (R 2 = 0.71). Normal nPTT was 4.4 ± 0.6 (SD) (range, 3.6‐5.3), in CMR, 6.3 ± 1.6 (SD) (range, 4.0–9.7), and in DMR, 11.9 ± 3.4 (SD) (range, 8.0–18.8). The differences among all groups were significant. Heart rates were 110 ± 22 bpm in normal dogs, 111 ±20 in dogs with CMR, and 144 ± 18 in dogs with DMR P < 001 for difference between DMR group and normal and CMR groups). Increased nPTT in CMR indicates preclinical heart pump dysfunction. Heart rate‐normalized pulmonary transit times may be a useful index of heart function in mitral regurgitation.