Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Ankara Universitesi Veteriner Fakultesi Dergisi, cilt.72, sa.4, ss.509-515, 2025 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus, TRDizin)
The objective of this study was to evaluate cardiac remodeling and the diagnostic utility of cardiac biomarkers, cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and N-terminal pro–B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), in cats with chronic kidney disease (CKD), with or without systemic hypertension. The study population included 11 healthy controls, 11 normotensive cats with chronic kidney disease (CKD), and 16 hypertensive cats with CKD. All cats underwent a comprehensive evaluation including blood pressure measurement, serum biochemistry, biomarker analysis, and echocardiographic assessment. CKD cats exhibited significantly elevated serum concentrations of cTnI and NT-proBNP compared to the control group, with hypertensive cats demonstrating the highest levels of these markers (P<0.001). Of notable significance is the finding that only the hypertensive CKD group demonstrated significantly elevated biomarker-to-creatinine ratios, supporting the presence of true myocardial injury rather than impaired renal clearance alone. Echocardiographic assessment revealed increased left atrial to aortic root (LA/Ao) ratios, left ventricular posterior wall thickness in diastole (LVPWd), and interventricular septal thickness in diastole (IVSd) in hypertensive CKD cats, indicating structural cardiac remodeling. Elevated serum urea and phosphorus levels in cats with CKD may also contribute to these myocardial alterations. These findings suggest that cats with hypertensive CKD experience actual myocardial injury, which is reflected in structural changes and biomarker ratios, while cats with normotensive CKD show milder and less definitive alterations. The incorporation of biomarker-to-creatinine ratios with echocardiography has the potential to enhance the early detection of subclinical cardiac injury in hypertensive CKD cats, thereby supporting the timely implementation of cardio-protective strategies.