Effect of prespecified therapy escalation on plasma NT‐proBNP concentrations in dogs with stable congestive heart failure due to myxomatous mitral valve disease

Background Treatment targeted to achieve reduction in N‐terminal pro‐B‐type natriuretic peptide (NT‐proBNP) improves outcomes in human congestive heart failure (CHF) patients. Hypothesis A pre‐specified therapeutic algorithm that increased diuretic or pimobendan usage will reduce plasma NT‐proBNP concentrations in dogs with CHF secondary to myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD). Animals Twenty‐six dogs with clinically stable CHF secondary to MMVD. Methods Prospective, controlled before‐and‐after study. Dogs were examined up to 3 times over 21 days. Treatment was prescribed based on NT‐proBNP as follows: <1500 pmol/L at baseline, no treatment adjustment at any point during the study (group 1); ≥1500 pmol/L and creatinine ≤3.0 mg/dL at baseline or SC visits, treatment escalated according to the algorithm (group 2); ≥1500 pmol/L at baseline, no treatment adjustment (group 3). Results N‐terminal pro‐B‐type natriuretic peptide decreased significantly in group 2 (mean change = −1736 pmol/L (95% CI, −804 to −2668), P  < .001) but not in groups 1 or 3 (623 pmol/L [–631 to 1877 pmol/L], P  = .14 and 685 pmol/L [–304 to 1068 pmol/L], P  = .46, respectively). Serum BUN and creatinine did not change significantly between visit 0 and visit 2 in group 1 (median = 23 mg/dL [range 13‐32] versus 19 mg/dL [12‐38], P  = .72 and 1.15 mg/dL [0.70‐1.40] versus 0.95 mg/dL [0.70‐1.10], P  = .10, respectively) or group 2 (28 mg/dL [18‐87] versus 43.5 mg/dL [21‐160], P  = .092 and 1.10 mg/dL [0.90‐2.50] versus 1.55 mg/dL [0.90‐3.30], P  = .062, respectively). Conclusions and Clinical Importance Use of this treatment escalation algorithm allows effective targeting of treatment for CHF in dogs against an objective criterion.