Prospective Evaluation of NT‐proBNP Assay to Detect Occult Dilated Cardiomyopathy and Predict Survival in Doberman Pinschers

Background Occult (asymptomatic) dilated cardiomyopathy (ODCM) is highly prevalent in Doberman Pinschers. Hypothesis/Objectives Assess ability of NT‐proBNP assay to detect ODCM and predict death. Animals 155 asymptomatic Dobermans presenting for ODCM screening. Methods Echocardiography, 24‐hour Holter, and NT‐proBNP assay were performed prospectively. Diagnosis was based on increased left ventricular end‐systolic dimension, >50 ventricular premature complexes (VPCs), or both on Holter. Utility was evaluated using receiver‐operating characteristic curves. Effect of age, weight, sex, disease status, VPCs, and NT‐proBNP on survival was analyzed using Kaplan‐Meier and Cox‐proportional hazard analysis. Results Seventy‐three (47.1%) Dobermans were diagnosed with ODCM, including 31, 17, and 25 that met Holter, echocardiographic, or both criteria, respectively. Sensitivity of NT‐proBNP > 457 pmol/L to detect these groups was 45.2, 76.5, and 96.0%, respectively. Combination of NT‐proBNP and Holter to detect ODCM yielded sensitivity of 94.5%, specificity of 87.8%, and accuracy of 91.0%. Follow‐up data were available for 78 Dobermans. The median survival time of Dobermans with > 50 VPCs (469 days), NT‐proBNP > 900 pmol/L (284 days), or ODCM (474 days) was significantly (P