Clinical and Echocardiographic Findings in an Aged Population of Cavalier King Charles Spaniels

Myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) is the most common cardiac disease in dogs. It varies from dogs without clinical signs to those developing left-sided congestive heart failure, leading to death. Cavalier King Charles Spaniels (CKCSs) are particularly susceptible to MMVD. We hypothesised that within the elderly CKCS population, there is a sub-cohort of MMVD-affected dogs that do not have cardiac remodelling. The objectives of the present study were (i) to determine the prevalence and the degree of cardiac remodelling associated with MMVD; and (ii) assess the effect of age, gender, and body weight on echocardiographic status in a population of aged CKCSs. A total of 126 CKCSs ≥ 8 years old were prospectively included. They all had a physical and echocardiographic examination. A systolic murmur was detected in 89% of dogs; the presence of clinical signs was reported in 19% of them; and echocardiographic evidence of MMVD was described in 100%. Despite the high prevalence, 44.4% of the dogs were clear of echocardiographic signs of cardiac remodelling. Age was significantly associated with the presence and severity of cardiac remodelling and mitral valve prolapse. Our results showed that a proportion of elderly CKCS with confirmed MMVD did not undergo advanced stages of this pathology.

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99mTc-Labelled Anti NCA-95 Antibodies in Prosthetic Heart Valve Endocarditis

Nuklearmedizin ◽

10.1055/s-0038-1629567 ◽

1991 ◽

Vol 30 (04) ◽

pp. 149-150 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

H.-J. Bair ◽

H.-J. Volkholz ◽

F. Wolf ◽

W. Becker

Keyword(s):

Mitral Valve ◽

Heart Valve ◽

Prosthetic Valve ◽

Clinical Signs ◽

Prosthetic Heart Valve ◽

Prosthetic Valve Endocarditis ◽

Aortic Valves ◽

Radionuclide Uptake ◽

Echocardiographic Findings

A 54-y old women with earlier replacement of the mitral and aortic valves and clinical signs of localized endocarditis was studied with 99mTc-labelled anti NCA-95 antibody. Whereas echocardiographic findings were negative, increased radionuclide uptake was observed left parasternal over the mitral valve as a sign of prosthetic valve endocarditis. This result could be confirmed by a similar study with leukocytes labelled in vitro with 111ln-oxine.

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High Prevalence of Valvular Disease Found in the Elderly

Internal Medicine News ◽

10.1016/s1097-8690(05)70492-3 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 38 (1) ◽

pp. 50

Author(s):

MITCHEL L. ZOLER

Keyword(s):

The Elderly ◽

Valvular Disease ◽

High Prevalence

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Echocardiographic Findings in Friedreich's Ataxia

Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences / Journal Canadien des Sciences Neurologiques ◽

10.1017/s0317167100025543 ◽

1976 ◽

Vol 3 (4) ◽

pp. 329-332 ◽

Cited By ~ 25

Author(s):

H.F. Gattiker ◽

A. Davignon ◽

A. Bozio ◽

J. Batlle-Diaz ◽

G. Geoffroy ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Friedreich’S Ataxia ◽

Left Ventricular ◽

Friedreich's Ataxia ◽

Ventricular Free Wall ◽

Slight Reduction ◽

Free Wall ◽

Left Ventricular Free Wall ◽

Echocardiographic Examination ◽

Septal Hypertrophy ◽

Echocardiographic Findings

SUMMARY:Echocardiographic examination of 21 patients with Friedreich's ataxia (age 7 to 28 years) showed cardiac abnormalities in 90% of the cases. They were characterized by varying degrees of septal hypertrophy in 81%, left ventricular free wall hypertrophy in 61%, and a slight reduction of left ventricular internal dimension in 57% of the cases. Asymmetric septal hypertrophy (ASH) with a septal/left ventricular free wall ratio of over 1.3 was found in 29% of the cases, and systolic anterior motion (SAM) of the mitral valve in three patients. Two other patients showed evidence of a different type of cardiomyopathy with marked symmetric left ventricular hypertrophy and marked left ventricular enlargement.

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Porcine Gammaherpesviruses in Italian Commercial Swine Population: Frequent but Harmless

Pathogens ◽

10.3390/pathogens10010047 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

pp. 47

Author(s):

Giovanni Franzo ◽

Michele Drigo ◽

Matteo Legnardi ◽

Laura Grassi ◽

Maria Luisa Menandro ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Real Time ◽

Real Time Pcr ◽

Clinical Signs ◽

Northern Italy ◽

Porcine Circovirus ◽

Swine Industry ◽

Positive Interaction ◽

High Prevalence ◽

Swine Population ◽

Clinical Conditions

Differently from alpha- and betaherpesviruses affecting swine, interest in the recently discovered Suid gammaherpesvirus 3, Suid gammaherpesvirus 4, and Suid gammaherpesvirus 5, also known as porcine lymphotropic herpesviruses (PLHV-1, PLHV-2, and PLHV-3), has largely focused on their role as potential zoonotic agents in cases of xenotransplantation. However, their role as primary pathogens of swine or as co-factors for other lymphotropic infections has essentially been neglected. The present study aims at filling this gap, evaluating the association between PLHVs infection and different clinical conditions and/or porcine circovirus (PCV) co-infection. One hundred seventy-six samples were obtained from different animals located in a high-density pig area of Northern Italy in the period 2017–2020. The presence of PLHVs and PCVs was tested and quantified by specific real-time PCR: PLHVs were widespread among pigs (PLHV-1, PLHV-2, and PLHV-3 prevalence was 28.97%, 10.79%, and 4.54%, respectively) and detected in all considered tissues and clinical conditions. Frequent co-infections were also observed among PLHVs and with PCVs, although a significant association was not detected with the exception of a positive interaction between PLHV-1 and PLHV-3, and a negative one between PLHV-2 and PCV-2. Significantly, no association between PLHVs, alone or in co-infection, emerged with any of the considered clinical signs, their frequency being comparable between healthy and diseased animals. Based on these pieces of evidence and despite their high prevalence, PLHVs’ relevance for the swine industry appears negligible, either as primary pathogens or as predisposing factors for circovirus-induced diseases.

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Mitral valve repair for mitral regugitation in the elderly: Yes, we have to, but look at the etiologies!

Journal of Cardiac Surgery ◽

10.1111/jocs.15507 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Antonio M. Calafiore ◽

Massimo Di Marco ◽

Stefano Guarracini ◽

Kostas Katsavrias ◽

Michele Di Mauro

Keyword(s):

Mitral Valve ◽

Mitral Valve Repair ◽

The Elderly ◽

Valve Repair

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Swine Inflammation and Necrosis Syndrome (SINS)

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani11061670 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (6) ◽

pp. 1670

Author(s):

Gerald Reiner ◽

Josef Kuehling ◽

Frederik Loewenstein ◽

Mirjam Lechner ◽

Sabrina Becker

Keyword(s):

Scientific Evidence ◽

Age Groups ◽

Clinical Signs ◽

Well Being ◽

Defence Mechanisms ◽

Newborn Piglets ◽

High Prevalence ◽

Histopathological Studies ◽

Molecular Patterns ◽

Tail Damage

Tail biting is a prevalent and undesirable behaviour in pigs and a major source of significant reduction in well-being. However, focusing on biting considers only one part of the solution, because tail damage can be found with a high prevalence without any action by other pigs. The lesions are not limited to the tail but can also be found in the ears, heels, soles, claw coronary bands, teats, navel, vulva, and face. Environmental improvement alone often fails to overcome the problem. This review addresses a new inflammation and necrosis syndrome in swine (SINS). It shows the clinical signs and the frequencies of occurrence in different age groups. It compiles scientific evidence from clinical and histopathological studies in newborn piglets that argue for a primary endogenous aetiology of the disease. Bringing together the findings of a broad body of research, the possible mechanisms leading to the disease are identified and then discussed. This part will especially focus on microbe-associated molecular patterns in the circulation and their role in activating defence mechanisms and inflammation. Finally, the methods are identified to ameliorate the problem by optimizing husbandry and selecting a suitable breeding stock.

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