Echocardiographic assessment of aortic root size in 220 apparently healthy adult cats
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Published on: March 8, 2019
Karsten E Schober1, Katherine Cherry1, Vedat Yildiz2
1Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
Insights
Aortic root size (ARS) in cats is influenced by body weight and age. Older cats (>12 years) showed significantly larger ARS, highlighting the need to consider these factors in echocardiographic assessments.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Cardiology
- Echocardiography
- Comparative Physiology
Background:
- Aortic root size (ARS) is clinically significant for diagnosing feline hypertension and left atrial enlargement.
- Prospective reference data for ARS in healthy cats are lacking.
- Understanding normal ARS ranges is crucial for accurate echocardiographic interpretation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish reference values and 95% prediction intervals for two-dimensional (2D) echocardiographic ARS variables in healthy cats.
- To investigate the influence of body weight (BW), age, sex, and breed on ARS.
- To test the hypothesis that ARS is primarily dependent on BW and age.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective, cross-sectional, observational study of 220 healthy adult cats.
- Analysis of 2D echocardiograms, measuring aortic valve, sinus of Valsalva, sinotubular junction, ascending aorta, and sinus height.
- Allometric transformation (Y=a x M^b) and statistical analysis to determine predictors and reference ranges.
Main Results:
- Body weight and age were independent predictors of ARS in cats.
- Cats over 12 years old exhibited significantly larger ARS compared to younger age groups.
- Sex and breed did not significantly influence ARS.
Conclusions:
- Reference values for feline ARS should account for body weight and age.
- Age is a significant factor, with older cats displaying larger aortic roots.
- These findings are essential for informed clinical decision-making in feline echocardiography.
Abstract:
The size of the aortic root (ARS) is of clinical relevance particularly in cats with suspected systemic hypertension and in the echocardiographic diagnosis of left atrial (LA) enlargement using the LA dimension to aortic annulus ratio. There are no prospective data on ARS in healthy cats. The study objective was to determine reference values and 95% prediction intervals for two-dimensional (2D) echocardiographic variables of ARS in cats. We hypothesized that ARS in healthy cats is primarily dependent on body weight (BW) and age. Study type was retrospective, cross-sectional, observational, and clinical cohort. Two hundred and twenty apparently healthy client-owned adult cats were enrolled and 2D echocardiograms analyzed. Systolic and diastolic dimensions of the aortic valve, the sinus of Valsalva, the sinotubular junction, the ascending aorta, and sinus height were evaluated. Reference values and 95% prediction intervals were determined using raw data and values after allometric transformation (Y=a x Mb). The effect of BW, sex, breed, and age was determined. Proportionality constants (α) and allometric scaling exponents (b) were computed for all variables and reference values and 95% prediction intervals for the study sample determined. BW and age, but not sex and breed, were independent predictors of ARS. Cats >12 years old had significantly (adjusted P<0.05) larger ARS compared to cats 1-2, >2-6, and >6-12 years old. The effects of BW and age must be considered for decision-making when using echocardiographic ARS variables in clinical practice.
