@article{walker_defrancesco_bonagura_keene_meurs_tou_kurtz_aona_barron_mcmanamey_et al._2022, title={Association of diet with clinical outcomes in dogs with dilated cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure*}, volume={40}, ISSN={["1875-0834"]}, DOI={10.1016/j.jvc.2021.02.001}, abstractNote={Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in dogs has been associated with feeding of grain-free (GF), legume-rich diets. Some dogs with presumed diet-associated DCM have shown improved myocardial function and clinical outcomes following a change in diet and standard medical therapy. Prior GF (pGF) diet influences reverse cardiac remodeling and clinical outcomes in dogs with DCM and congestive heart failure (CHF). A retrospective study was performed with 67 dogs with DCM and CHF for which diet history was known. Dogs were grouped by diet into pGF and grain-inclusive (GI) groups. Dogs in the pGF group were included if diet change was a component of therapy. Survival was analyzed using Kaplan–Meier curves and the Cox proportional-hazards model. The median survival time was 344 days for pGF dogs vs. 253 days for GI dogs (P = 0.074). Statistically significant differences in median survival were identified when the analysis was limited to dogs surviving longer than one week (P = 0.033). Prior GF dogs had a significantly worse outcome the longer a GF diet was fed prior to diagnosis (P = 0.004) or if they were diagnosed at a younger age (P = 0.017). Prior GF dogs showed significantly greater improvement in normalized left ventricular internal diastolic diameter (P = 0.038) and E-point septal separation (P = 0.031) measurements and significant decreases in their furosemide (P = 0.009) and pimobendan (P < 0.005) dosages over time compared to GI dogs. Prior GF dogs that survived at least one week after diagnosis of DCM, treatment of CHF, and diet change had better clinical outcomes and showed reverse ventricular remodeling compared to GI dogs.}, journal={JOURNAL OF VETERINARY CARDIOLOGY}, author={Walker, A. L. and DeFrancesco, T. C. and Bonagura, J. D. and Keene, B. W. and Meurs, K. M. and Tou, S. P. and Kurtz, K. and Aona, B. and Barron, L. and McManamey, A. and et al.}, year={2022}, month={Apr}, pages={99–109} }
 @article{chou_ward_barron_murphy_tropf_lisciandro_yuan_mochel_defrancesco_2021, title={Focused ultrasound of the caudal vena cava in dogs with cavitary effusions or congestive heart failure: A prospective, observational study}, volume={16}, ISSN={["1932-6203"]}, DOI={10.1371/journal.pone.0252544}, abstractNote={
Introduction
Ultrasonographic indices of the inferior vena cava are useful for predicting right heart filling pressures in people.
}, number={5}, journal={PLOS ONE}, author={Chou, Yen-Yu and Ward, Jessica L. and Barron, Lara Z. and Murphy, Shane D. and Tropf, Melissa A. and Lisciandro, Gregory R. and Yuan, Lingnan and Mochel, Jonathan P. and DeFrancesco, Teresa C.}, year={2021}, month={May} }
 @article{adin_defrancesco_keene_tou_meurs_atkins_aona_kurtz_barron_saker_et al._2019, title={Echocardiographic phenotype of canine dilated cardiomyopathy differs based on diet type}, volume={21}, ISSN={["1875-0834"]}, DOI={10.1016/j.jvc.2018.11.002}, abstractNote={Canine dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) can result from numerous etiologies including genetic mutations, infections, toxins, and nutritional imbalances. This study sought to characterize differences in echocardiographic findings between dogs with DCM fed grain-free (GF) diets and grain-based (GB) diets.Forty-eight dogs with DCM and known diet history.This was a retrospective analysis of dogs with DCM from January 1, 2015 to May 1, 2018 with a known diet history. Dogs were grouped by diet (GF and GB), and the GF group was further divided into dogs eating the most common grain-free diet (GF-1) and other grain-free diets (GF-o). Demographics, diet history, echocardiographic parameters, taurine concentrations, and vertebral heart scale were compared between GB, all GF, GF-1, and GF-o groups at diagnosis and recheck.Dogs eating GF-1 weighed less than GB and GF-o dogs, but age and sex were not different between groups. Left ventricular size in diastole and systole was greater, and sphericity index was less for GF-1 compared with GB dogs. Diastolic left ventricular size was greater for all GF compared with that of GB dogs. Fractional shortening, left atrial size, and vertebral heart scale were not different between groups. Taurine deficiency was not identified in GF dogs, and presence of congestive heart failure was not different between groups. Seven dogs that were reevaluated after diet change (6 received taurine supplementation) had clinical and echocardiographic improvement.Dietary-associated DCM occurs with some GF diets and can improve with nutritional management, including diet change. The role of taurine supplementation, even without deficiency, is uncertain.}, journal={JOURNAL OF VETERINARY CARDIOLOGY}, author={Adin, Darcy and DeFrancesco, Teresa and Keene, Bruce and Tou, Sandra and Meurs, Kathryn and Atkins, Clarke and Aona, Brent and Kurtz, Kari and Barron, Lara and Saker, Korinn and et al.}, year={2019}, month={Feb}, pages={1–9} }