Abstract: Background – Invasive pressures by right heart catheterization (RHC) in a population of dogs with pulmonary valve stenosis (PS) have not been reported.
Objective – This study compared RHC parameters between dogs with (Nf16) and without (120) congestive heart failure (CHF). The relationship between awake echocardiographic parameters and RHC measurements was also investigated.
Animals – One hundred and thirty-six dogs with PS.
Methods – Retrospective study. Stored RHC recordings before and after intervention were reviewed and measured by a single operator. Invasive RHC parameters were compared between groups. Correlation and agreement between invasive RHC measurements under anesthesia and awake echocardiographic estimates of intracardiac pressures were investigated using Pearson correlation tests and Bland-Altman plots.
Results – Dogs in CHF had higher mean right atrial pressure than non-CHF dogs (9 vs 6 mmHg; P < 0.001) whereas peak right ventricular (RV) pressure was not different (P = 0.170). Interventions reduced peak RV pressure and increased systolic pulmonary artery pressure, resulting in reduced peak-to-peak pressure gradient (PG) and increased pulmonary valve area (PVA; both P < 0.0001). A moderate positive correlation was observed between RHC measurements and echocardiographic estimates for PVA (r = 0.541, P < 0.001), maximal PG (r = 0.527, P < 0.001) and mean PG (r = 0.521, P < 0.001), though limits of agreement were wide.
Conclusions – Elevated right atrial pressure during RHC may suggest risk for CHF. Invasive RHC parameters differ from awake echocardiographic estimates of PS severity, though the two methods are correlated.
