Echocardiographic parameters in French Bulldogs, Pugs and Boston Terriers with brachycephalic obstructive airways syndrome

Brložnik, Maja (author), Nemec Svete, Alenka (author), Erjavec, Vladimira (author), Domanjko-Petrič, Aleksandra (author)

Background In this prospective study, we hypothesized that dogs with signs of brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS) would show differences in left and right heart echocardiographic parameters compared with brachycephalic dogs without signs of BOAS and non-brachycephalic dogs. Results We included 57 brachycephalic (30 French Bulldogs 15 Pugs, and 12 Boston Terriers) and 10 non-brachycephalic control dogs. Brachycephalic dogs had significantly higher ratios of the left atrium to aorta and mitral early wave velocity to early diastolic septal annular velocity; smaller left ventricular (LV) diastolic internal diameter index; and lower tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion index, late diastolic annular velocity of the LV free wall, peak systolic septal annular velocity, late diastolic septal annular velocity, and right ventricular global strain than non-brachycephalic dogs. French Bulldogs with signs of BOAS had a smaller diameter of the left atrium index and right ventricular systolic area index; higher caudal vena cava at inspiration index; and lower caudal vena cava collapsibility index, late diastolic annular velocity of the LV free wall, and peak systolic annular velocity of the interventricular septum than non-brachycephalic dogs. Conclusions The differences in echocardiographic parameters between brachycephalic and non-brachycephalic dogs, brachycephalic dogs with signs of BOAS and non-brachycephalic dogs, and brachycephalic dogs with and without signs of BOAS indicate higher right heart diastolic pressures affecting right heart function in brachycephalic dogs and those with signs of BOAS. Most changes in cardiac morphology and function can be attributed to anatomic changes in brachycephalic dogs alone and not to the symptomatic stage.

• Language: English
• Keywords: dog, brachycephaly, BOAS, obstructive sleep apnea, echocardiography, right heart, craniosynostoses, dog diseases, veterinary surgery
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: VF - Veterinary Faculty
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2023
• Number of pages: 13 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 19, art. 49
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-144349
• UDC: 636.7.09:616-089
• ISSN on article: 1746-6148
• DOI: 10.1186/s12917-023-03600-9
• COBISS.SI-ID: 141851395
• Publication date in RUL: 15.02.2023

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: BMC veterinary research
• Publisher: Springer Nature
• ISSN: 1746-6148
• COBISS.SI-ID: 515674393

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Projects

• Funder: ARRS - Slovenian Research Agency
• Project number: P4-0053
• Name: Endokrini, imunski in encimski odzivi pri zdravih in bolnih živalih