A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study of pimobendan in dogs with dilated cardiomyopathy.

Abstract

A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study was conducted to examine the effect on heart failure class and survival of pimobendan, an oral calcium-sensitizing inodilator, in dogs with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Pimobendan (0.3-0.6 mg/kg body weight/d) or placebo was administered to English Cocker Spaniels (CSs; n = 10) and Doberman Pinschers (DPs: n = 10) that had DCM in addition to background therapy of furosemide, enalapril, and digoxin. Addition of pimobendan to standard triple therapy was associated with a significant improvement in heart failure class, regardless of breed (P < .02, Mann-Whitney rank sum test). Overall, 8 of 10 animals in the pimobendan-treated group, and 1 of 10 animals in the placebo group improved their heart failure status by at least I modified New York Heart Association functional class after initial stabilization (P = .005, Fisher's exact test). Pimobendan had no significant effect on survival in the CSs (P = 0.77, log-rank test), but DPs treated with pimobendan had significantly longer survival times compared with placebo (P < .02, log-rank test), with a median survival time of 329 days in the pimobendan group compared with 50 days in the placebo group, and a hazard ratio of 3.4 (95% confidence interval 1.4-39.8). Pimobendan resulted in significant improvement in heart failure class when added to standard therapy in this group of dogs with DCM, and may have contributed to improved survival in DPs.

• Authors: Virginia Luis Fuentes, Brendan Corcoran, Anne French, Karsten E Schober, Rainer Kleemann, Claus Justus
• Journal: Journal of veterinary internal medicine (J Vet Intern Med) 2002 May-Jun Vol. 16 Issue 3 Pg. 255-61 ISSN: 0891-6640 [Print] United States
• PMID: 12041654 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Cardiotonic Agents
• Pyridazines
• pimobendan

Topics

• Animals
• Cardiomyopathy, Dilated (drug therapy, pathology, veterinary)
• Cardiotonic Agents (administration & dosage, pharmacology)
• Dog Diseases (drug therapy)
• Dogs
• Double-Blind Method
• Female
• Heart Failure (etiology, prevention & control, veterinary)
• Male
• Pedigree
• Prognosis
• Pyridazines (administration & dosage, pharmacology)
• Survival
• Treatment Outcome