Comparative analysis of a portable smartphone­based electrocardiograph (D­Heart®) versus standard 6­leads electrocardiograph in the canine patient.

D-Heart® is a portable, smartphone-based device, which streams tracing via Bluetooth, enabling multiple leads electrocardiograms (ECGs) acquisition, currently used in human cardiology (Maurizi et al. 2017).The aim was to determine the accuracy of D­Heart® compared with the gold standard non­portable 6­lead electrocardiograph in the evaluation of cardiac rhythm in dogs.Standard 6­lead and D­Heart® ECGs were acquired in conscious dogs. Concordance between methods was assessed by weighted k Cohen index, with its relative significance, taking as end point variable standard 6­lead ECG group. Bland ­ Altman method (95% confidence level) was applied for P, PR, QRS, T and QT. Since differences didn’t follow a normal distribution, a non­parametric approach was used to determine limits of agreement. P was significant when < 0.05 (Maurizi et al. 2017). Amplitude of waves was not considered because currently the software doesn’t allow voltage variation.115 dogs of different weights and breeds admitted to the Cardiology Service of DIMEVET were enrolled. Mean age was 7,5±4 years. Most were intact males (45%, n=51). The most represented breed was mongrel (27%, n=32).Weighted Cohen's kappa test demonstrated excellent concordance in the evaluation of the heart rhythm (0.989, p<0.001), for ST segment morphology (0.991, p<0,001) and for T wave morphology (0.838, p=0.040). There was a 100% concordance in P morphology determination. P, PR, QRS, T and QT intervals comparison with Bland­Altman showed an extremely good concordance for D­Heart® measurements (95% limit of agreement ±0.9 ms for P, ±10 ms for PR, ±35 ms for QRS, ±5 ms for T wave). Less concordance resulted for QT (±80 ms).In Conclusion, D­Heart® proved effective accurate recording of ECG comparable to standard 6­lead electrocardiographs, opening new perspectives to improve diagnostic tools in veterinary cardiology. Future perspective will be the development of a telecardiology network and to improve arrhythmia’s diagnosis in small animal practice (Bruining et al., 2014; Haberman et al., 2015).

Bronchopulmonary Nematodes in Alpine Ibex: Shedding of First Stage Larvae Analyzed at the Individual Host Level

Pneumonia is the most frequent cause of death for Alpine ibex (Capra ibex) in Gran Paradiso National Park, (Italy). The etiology of this form of pneumonia is currently unknown and the identification of the primary etiological agent remains difficult due to biological and logistic constraints. Uncovering individual differences in Protostrongylid prevalence and intensity is important to further investigate the epidemiology of respiratory diseases and their relationship to heterozygosity and inbreeding in a once almost extinct population like C. ibex. In a group of 21 individually recognizable adult male we monitored monthly prevalence and intensity of Protostrongylid first-stage larvae using Baerman's technique from June to September 2019. First-stage larvae of 5 genera were detected. Muellerius (P = 100%, CI95% = 84–100) and Protostrongylus (P = 86%, CI95%:71–100) were two dominant genera according to Bush's importance index. Neostrongylus (P = 38%,CI95%: 17–59), Cystocaulus (P = 33%,CI95% = 13–53) were classified as co-dominant genera while Dictyocaulus filaria (P = 0.05%, CI95% = 0.04–0.13) was detected, for the first time in Alpine ibex, in one subject. Protostrongylidae larval excretion varied significantly over time, with minimum L1 excretion in July. Individual median larval intensity ranged from 4.4 lpg to 82.2 lpg with Poulin's discrepancy index showing highly aggregated distribution patterns for Muellerius spp. (D = 0.283, CI95% = 0.760–0.895) and Protostrongylus spp. (D = 0.635, CI95% = 0.580–0.705). Presented data provide the necessary base point to further investigate how lungworm infection account for the different rates of progression of pneumonia in C. ibex. Individual aggregation of larval intensity must be further evaluated to determine whether these differences mirror different levels of parasitic infection related to individual differences in immune response, hormonal-states or genetic fitness

Preliminary evaluation of an ELISA kit for the detection of Aldosterone concentration in dog’s urine

Aldosterone is a corticosteroid hormone that plays a pivotal role in homeostatic regulation of water and salt reabsorption, blood volume and pressure. Aldosterone levels tent to rise in humans in hypertension, chronic and acute congestive heart failure (CHF); detrimental effects are opposed by drugs like ACE inhibitors and anti-mineralocorticoid. Aldosterone has a pulsatile secretion, so measurement in serum is less indicative than in urine, where concentration can be indexed to creatinine ratio for estimation of the 24-h aldosterone excretion.Few studies have evaluated aldosterone in canine urine patients, and none by ELISA. Aim of the study was to evaluate a commercial ELISA kit for measuring aldosterone in dog’s urine.Urine was collectedby free catchfrom four dogs. Two were healthy, one was affected by CHF and prescribed anti-mineralocorticoiddaily, one was affected by chronic kidney disease (CKD). Urine was centrifuged (1250g/5 min) and supernatant frozen (-20°C). Aldosterone was measured by a competitive ELISA previously validated for dogs. Twenty-four hours acid hydrolysis was performed on urinary samples before assay.The ELISA standard curve in a semi-log plot was linear between 2.5 and 3.9 ng/mL. Spike-and-recovery, linearity-of-dilution and parallelism experiments showed accuracy inmeasuring aldosterone in dog urine samples. The intra-assay coefficient of variation showed good reproducibility of the assay.Urinary samples are easy to collect, and the ELISA used in this preliminary study seems promising in determining aldosterone in dog urine. Its levels can be of great diagnostic and prognostic value for dogs affected by acute and chronic CHF, in order to assess the best therapeutic strategy. This preliminary analysis will be followed by further studies in patients affected by acute and chronic CHF

Racial differences in central adiposity in a longitudinal cohort of black and white adolescent females

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Central adiposity is related to chronic disease risk in adolescents. Racial differences in waist circumference have been identified using cross-sectional data from this age group. We tested for racial differences in age-related growth in waist circumference in a longitudinal cohort of black and white adolescent girls.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We analyzed 9 years of publicly available data from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Growth and Health Study, for 2379 girls (1213 black and 1166 white) enrolled at age 9-10 years in 1987-1988 and followed annually. Individual growth trajectories of waist circumference were constructed for girls with >3 annual measures. Mixed models were used to compare changes in waist circumference during adolescence between black and white females. BMI and age at menarche were included in the models.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>At each age, black females had significantly higher waist circumference. Mean annual increase in waist circumference was significantly higher for black females compared to white females (1.46 cm/yr vs. 1.36 cm/yr, respectively). After adjusting for BMI, the mean annual increase in waist circumference for white females was significantly higher than for black females (0.08 cm/yr vs. -0.07 cm/yr, respectively). These relationships remained significant after adjusting for age at menarche.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Black females had significantly steeper increases in waist circumference over adolescence than white females. After adjusting for BMI and age at menarche, however, the annual increase in waist circumference for black females was significantly shallower than for their white peers. These data suggest racial differences in the deposition of fat over the adolescent period.</p