Table 1. Doberman pinschers under study: Basic characteristics and serum activities of autoantibodies directed against the β1-adrenergic (β1-AAB) and muscarinic receptor 2 (M2-AAB).
| Basic characteristics | Autoantibody presence (n/%) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| β1-AAB (n/%) | M2-AAB (n/%) § | ||||
| (+) | (-) | (+) | (-) | ||
| Total study cohort (n) | 118 | 78/66.1 | 40/33.9 | 7/5.9 | 111/94.1 |
| Age (years; median/min/max | 6/1/13 | ||||
| Male (n/%) | 60/50.8 | ||||
| Female (n/%) | 58/49.2 | ||||
| Lost to follow up | 5/4.2 | ||||
| Survivors (n/%) | 59/50.0 | 31/52.5 | 28/47.5 | 5/8.5 | 54/91.5 |
| Non-survivors (n/%) | 54/45.8 | 43/79.6** | 11/20.4 | 2/3.7 | 52/96.3 |
| Non-Survivors due to cardiac reason (n/%) | 35/29.7 | 26/74.3* | 9/25.7 | 0/0 | 35/100 |
| Non-survivors due to non-cardiac reason (n/%) | 19/16.1 | 17/89.5* | 2/10.5 | 2/10.5 | 17/89.5 |
| Doberman cardiomyopathy total (n/%) | 87/73.7 | 59/67.8 | 28/32.2 | 5/5.7 | 83/94.3 |
| Age (years; median/min/max | 7/2/11 | ||||
| Male (n/%) | 46/52.6 | ||||
| Female (n/%) | 41/47.2 | ||||
| Lost to follow up (n/%) | 2/2.3 | ||||
| Survivors (n/%) | 43/49.4 | ||||
| Non-survivors (n/%) | 42/48.3 | ||||
| Non-survivors due to cardiac reason (n/%) | 30/34.5 | ||||
| Non-survivors due to non-cardiac reason (n/%) | 12/13.8 | ||||
| Arrhythmia exclusively (n/%) Diagnostic criteria VPC/24h > 300 or twice 50–300 VPC/24h within one year | 17/19.5 | 12/70.6 | 5/29.4 | 1/5.9 | 16/94.1 |
| Age (years; median/min/max) | 6/2/10 | ||||
| Male (n/%) | 13/76.5 | ||||
| Female (n/%) | 4/23.5 | ||||
| Medication (n/%) | |||||
| No treatment | 5/29.4 | ||||
| Beta-blocker | 2/11.8 | ||||
| Antiarrhythmic drug | 2/11.8 | ||||
| Antiarrhythmic drug/ACE inhibitor | 8/47.0 | ||||
| Echocardiographic pathologies (n/%) Diagnostic criteria ESVI >55 ml/m2 or EDVI >95 ml/m2 | 27/31.0 | 15/56.6 | 12/44.4 | 0/0 | 27/100 |
| Age (years; median/min/max) | 8/3/11 | ||||
| Male (n/%) | 8/29.6 | ||||
| Female (n/%) | 19/70.4 | ||||
| Medication (n/%) | |||||
| No treatment | 2/7.5 | ||||
| Calcium sensitizer/PDE3 inhibitor | 12/44.5 | ||||
| Calcium sensitizer/PDE3 inhibitor/ACE inhibitor | 13/48.0 | ||||
| Arrhythmia + echocardiographic pathologies Diagnostic criteria VPC/24 >300 or twice 50–300 VPC/24h within one year ESVI >55 ml/m2 or EDVI >95 ml/m2 | 43/49.5 | 32/74.4 | 11/25.6 | 4/9.3 | 39/90.7 |
| Age (years; median/min/max) | 7/2/10 | ||||
| Male (n/%) | 20/46.5 | ||||
| Female (n/%) | 23/53.5 | ||||
| Medication (n/%) | |||||
| No treatment | 1/2.5 | ||||
| Calcium sensitizer/PDE3 inhibitor | 1/2.5 | ||||
| Calcium sensitizer/PDE3 inhibitor/ACE inhibitor | 16/37.2 | ||||
| Calcium sensitizer/PDE3 inhibitor/ACE inhibitor/beta-blocker | 8/18.6 | ||||
| Calcium sensitizer/PDE3 inhibitor/ACE inhibitor/beta-blocker/antiarrhythmic drug | 13/30.2 | ||||
| ACE inhibitor/antiarrhythmic drug | 2/4.6 | ||||
| ACE inhibitor/beta-blocker | 2/4.6 | ||||
| Control group (n/%) Diagnostic criteria VPC/24 <300 or <twice 50–300 VPC/24h within one year ESVI <55 ml/m2 or EDVI <95 ml/m2 | 31/26.3 | 19/61.3 | 12/38.7 | 2/6.5 | 29/93.5 |
| Age (years; median/min/max) | 6/1/13 | ||||
| Male (n/%) | 17/54.8 | ||||
| Female (n/%) | 14/45.2 | ||||
| Lost to follow up (n/%) | 3/9.7 | ||||
| Survivors (n/%) | 16/51.6 | ||||
| Non-survivors | 12/38.7 | ||||
| Non-survivors due to cardiac reason (n/%) | 5/16.1 | ||||
| Non-survivors due to non-cardiac reason (n/%) | 7/22.6 | ||||
§ all M2-AAB positive dogs were also positive for β1-AAB; β1-AAB (+) vs. (-)
* p<0.05;
** p<0.01.