Clinical approach to etiology, diagnosis, and treatment in dogs with pericardial effusion – a retrospective study

Abstract

In this study, signalement, presenting clinical signs, results of diagnostic investigations and therapeutic outcomes of 17 dogs with pericardial effusion (PE) were evaluated retrospectively. Common findings were exercise intolerance (70%), muffled heart sound (60%) and ascites (50%). ECG showed low voltage QRS (60%) and supraventricular tachycardia (40%). Radiological findings revealed enlarged and globoid cardiac silhouette in all dogs. PE was confirmed by echocardiographic examinations, which was due to intracardiac neoplasia (n=6) or non-neoplastic causes [dilated cardiomyopathy (n=5), right-sided heart failure (RSHF, n=2), and idiopathic (n=4)]. In dogs with RSHF, Doppler-derived pulmonary hypertension was also observed. Analysis of pericardial fluids that was collected by pericardiocentesis showed a hemorrhagic effusion in dogs with intracardiac neoplasia, and transudate in the rest. In 4 dogs with neoplastic PE, pericardiectomy and tumor resection were performed. Histopathological examinations revealed an aortic body adenoma (n=1), aortic body carcinoma (n=1), papillary mesothelioma (n=1) and malignant epitheloid mesothelioma (n=1). In 2 dogs, neoplastic PE could not be classified. Dogs were treated medically for heart failure and neoplasia, as well. Prognosis was better for the first 12 months in dogs with non-neoplastic PE. In conclusion, echocardiographic examination is the best means to diagnose PE. In practice, when added to physically examination findings echocardiography also provides solid information in determining prognosis of PE due to neoplasia versus non-neoplastic causes. Survival time may be extended by pericardiectomy in the case of neoplastic PE, as well

Keywords

• Echocardiography
• electrocardiography
• pericardial effusion
• pericardiectomy
• dog

Perikardiyal efüzyonlu köpeklerde etiyoloji, tanı ve tedaviye klinik yaklaşım – retrospektif bir çalışma

Abstract

Bu çalışmada, retrospektif olarak perikardiyal efüzyonlu (PE) 17 köpeğin signalement, klinik bulgu, diagnostik araştırma ve terapötik sonuçları ele alınmıştır. PE intrakardiyak neoplazi (n=6) veya non-neoplastik nedenlerden [dilate kardiomiyopati (n=5), sağ kalp yetmezliği (RSHF, n=2) ve idiopatik (n=4)] ileri gelmişti. Yaygın bulgular egzersiz intoleransı (%70), boğuk kalp sesleri (%60) ve asitesti (%50). Elektrokardiyografik olarak düşük voltajlı QRS (%60) ve supraventriküler taşikardi (%40) belirlendi. Ekokardiyografi ile PE olduğu doğrulanan tüm köpeklerde, radyolojik bulgular kalbin büyük ve globoid olduğunu gösterdi. RSHF’li köpeklerde, Doppler-derive pulmonar hipertansiyon belirlendi. Perikardiyosentezle alınan sıvı analizleri kardiyak tümörlü köpeklerde hemorajik efüzyonu, diğerlerinde ise transudat varlığını gösterdi. Neoplastik PE’lu 4 köpekte perikardiyektomi ve tümör rezeksiyonu yapıldı. Histopatolojik muayeneler aortik body adenom (n=1), aortik body karsinom (n=1), papillar mesoteliom (n=1) ve malignant epiteloid mesoteliomu (n=1) gösterdi. İki köpekte neoplastic PE sınıflandırılamadı. Köpekler etiyolojilerine göre medical olarak tedavi edildi. Non-neoplastik PE’li köpeklerin prognozları ilk 12 ay için daha iyiydi. Sonuç olarak, ekokardiyografik muayene PE tanısında en iyi yöntemdir. Pratikte fiziksel muayene bulguları ile birlikte değerlendirildiğinde ekokardiyografi neoplazik ve neoplazik olmayan PE’lerin prognozunun belirlenmesinde önemli katkılar sağlamaktadır. Neoplastik PE olgularında perikardiyektomi yaşam süresinin uzatılmasına katkı verebilir

Keywords

• Ekokardiyografi
• elektrokardiyografi
• perikardiyal efüzyon
• perikardiyektomi
• köpek

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