J Vet Cardiol. 2026 May 20;66:89-100. doi: 10.1016/j.jvc.2026.05.005. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION/OBJECTIVES: Restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM), the second most common cardiomyopathy in cats, is known to induce primary diastolic dysfunction. Little is known about systolic function in cats with RCM. The aim of this study was to evaluate systolic function using two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography-derived endocardial global longitudinal strain (GLS) in a population of cats with RCM.
ANIMALS, MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-five adult cats diagnosed with RCM as well as 25 healthy control cats were included in the present study. Left apical two-, three-, and four-chamber views were obtained retrospectively for endocardial GLS analysis derived by two-dimensional speckle tracking. Comparison of cats with RCM with a matched control group was performed.
RESULTS: Cats with RCM had significantly larger left ventricular internal diameters in both, systole (P < 0.0001) and diastole (P = 0.0015), than controls. In systole, cats with RCM had values of 11.05 mm ± 2.24, in contrast to those of 8.48 mm ± 1.35 in healthy controls. In diastole, these values were 16.10 mm (range: 10.50-20.60 mm) in cats with RCM, higher than 14.90 mm (range: 10.00-17.50 mm) in the control group. Global longitudinal strain values were significantly lower in cats diagnosed with RCM than in control cats (P < 0.0001), with a mean value of -17.68% ± 4.78 vs. -28.35% ± 3.72, respectively.
STUDY LIMITATIONS: Limitations mainly comprised the retrospective character of the study, leading to lack of treatment standardization and histopathology, as well as a limited population of felines.
CONCLUSIONS: Endocardial GLS is reduced in cats with RCM, indicating that cats with RCM not only have a diastolic but also systolic dysfunction.
PMID:42263445 | DOI:10.1016/j.jvc.2026.05.005