Abstract
This study was aimed at determining serum concentrations of big endothelin-1 (big ET-1) in dogs with mitral valve disease and tricuspid valve regurgitation, in order to examine the feasibility of using it as a biomarker for pulmonary hypertension. Serum big ET-1 was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in 13 mitral valve disease dogs with tricuspid valve regurgitation. Systolic pulmonary arterial pressure (SPAP), right atrial long axis (RAL), right atrial short axis (RAS), right ventricular long axis (RVL), right ventricular short axis (RVS) and ratio of tricuspid valve E-wave to peak myocardial velocity during early velocity (TVE/E′) were significantly higher in ≧16 pg/ml group than in <16 pg/ml group (RAS, RVL, RVS and TVE/E′: p<0.05, SPAP and RAL: p<0.01, respectively). Moreover, Serum big ET-1 levels were significantly associated with SPAP, RAL, RAS, RVL, and RVS (SPAP, RAS and RVS: p<0.05, RAL and RVL: p<0.01, respectively). In conclusion, serum big ET-1 increases in canine pulmonary hypertension patients with mitral valve disease and may be used as an indicator showing severity of pulmonary hypertension.
