Diagnostic approach to Myxomatous Mitral Valve Disease in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels: identification of early prognostic factors (morphometric parameters, clinical and echocardiographic variables, and miRNAs expression).
The project aims to identify early prognostic factors of Myxomatous Mitral Valve Disease (MMVD) in the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (CKCS).
MMVD in the CKCS develops in different ways.
It has been speculated that, within the same breed, there may be two categories of subjects: dogs that present valvular lesions at a very young age and have a form of the disease that quickly leads to heart failure, and dogs with a diagnosis of MMVD in middle-advanced age and with a rate of progression comparable to one of the other breeds.
For this reason, early parameters that could discriminate between a healthy dog and a dog with an early form of MMVD are desirable.
Following the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) guidelines, only CKCSs belonging to ACVIM A and B1 classes will be included in the study.
At the time of enrollment and the follow-ups, different parameters will be registered:
Clinical status is defined by collecting the patient’s clinical history from the owner and conducting a routine visit.
Morphometric data: the body, the head, and the thorax will be measured, along with the body condition score (BCS) and the dog’s coat color type.
Echocardiographic findings: a standard transthoracic echocardiographic examination will be performed, and video clips will be acquired to obtain offline measurements. The echocardiographic parameters considered will be the length, thickness, and area of the anterior mitral valve leaflet Left Atrium-to-Aortic root ratio (LA/Ao), End-Systolic Volume Index (ESVI), End-Diastolic Volume Index (EDVI), Sphericity Index (SI), E wave, E/A ratio, Ejection Fraction (EF%), and Shortening Fraction (FS%). The degree of mitral regurgitation would also be estimated using the color Doppler.
miRNA patterns evaluation: plasma, serum, and saliva at the enrollment time and the follow-up will be stored, and the quantification of miR-30-b-5p will be carried out.
Identifying some early prognostic factors of the disease in this breed could allow us to discriminate between healthy and affected dogs at an early stage of the disease.
In this way, we could contribute to understanding what the best time is to introduce the pharmacological treatment to control the progression of the disease, identify the subjects whose clinical and echocardiographic aspects are suitable to be treated by mitral valve repair surgery, and finally support the breeders of the CKCS to set up selection programs aimed at reducing the prevalence of MMVD in this breed.
PhD student in Veterinary and Animal Science at the University of Milan (UNIMI).
Works at Milan’s “Gran Sasso” veterinary clinic in the Anesthesia and First Aid Departments.
Fellowship period in the Cardiology Unit of the University Veterinary Hospital (OVU) at the University of Milan (UNIMI).
Graduated from the University of Milan (UNIMI) with a thesis on the echocardiographic and morphometric evaluations of Cavalier King Charles Spaniels.
Deep interest in clinical research, with particular regard to cardiology,anesthesiology haemodynamics , and interventional cardiology.
Publications: Orcid ; IRIS-AIR
Supervisor Prof. Paola Giuseppina Brambilla
