Associations among echocardiography, cardiac biomarkers, insulin metabolism, morphology, and inflammation in cats with asymptomatic hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Abstract Background Insulin, insulin‐like growth factor‐1 (IGF‐1), and inflammation possibly are involved in cats with asymptomatic hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (aHCM). Objectives To evaluate echocardiography, morphology, cardiac and inflammatory markers, insulin and IGF‐1 in cats with aHCM. Animals Fifty‐one client‐owned cats with aHCM. Methods Observational descriptive study. Variables (body weight [BW], body condition score [BCS], echocardiography, and serum concentrations of N‐terminal pro‐B‐type natriuretic peptide [NT‐proBNP], ultra‐sensitive troponin‐I [c‐TnI], serum amyloid A [SAA], insulin, glucose and IGF‐1) were evaluated for significant increases above echocardiography cutoff values and laboratory reference ranges, associations and effect of left atrial (LA) remodeling and generalized hypertrophy. Results Cats with aHCM had BCS ≥6/9 (P = .01) and insulin (P < .001), NT‐proBNP (P = .001) and cTn‐I (P < .001) above laboratory reference ranges. Associations were present between NT‐proBNP and maximum end‐diastolic interventricular septum thickness (IVSd; ρ = .32; P = .05), maximum end‐diastolic left ventricular free wall thickness;(ρ = .41; P = .01), LA/Aorta (ρ = .52; P = .001) and LA diameter (LA‐max; ρ = .32; P = .05); c‐TnI and LA/Aorta (ρ = .49; P = .003) and LA‐max (ρ = .28; P = .05); and SAA and number of IVSd regions ≥6 mm thickness (ρ = .28; P = .05). Body weight and BCS were associated with IGF‐1 (r = 0.44; P = .001), and insulin (ρ = .33; P = .02), glucose (ρ = .29; P = .04) and IGF‐1 (ρ = .32; P = .02), respectively. Concentrations of NT‐proBNP (P = .02) and c‐TnI (P = .01), and SAA (P = .02), were higher in cats with LA remodeling, and generalized hypertrophy, respectively. Conclusions and clinical importance Results suggest potential implications of insulin, IGF‐1, and inflammation in cats with aHCM, but it remains to be confirmed whether these findings represent a physiological process or a part of the pathogenesis and development of disease.