{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,12]],"date-time":"2025-10-12T02:34:44Z","timestamp":1760236484322,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":41,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"12","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,12,4]],"date-time":"2021-12-04T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1638576000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Veterinary Sciences"],"abstract":"<jats:p>This study aimed to evaluate maternal left ventricular (LV) systo-diastolic function using conventional and TDI echocardiography and included 10 healthy Saint-Bernard pregnant bitches. M-mode, peak transmitral flow velocities during early diastole (E) and atrial contraction (A), aortic and pulmonic flow, myocardial performance index (MPI), TDI studies (peak myocardial velocities during early diastole (E\u2019), atrial contraction (A\u2019) and peak systole (S\u2019)), and blood pressure were measured at 21 to 28 (T1), 40 (T2) and 60 (T3) days of gestation and four to eight weeks postpartum (T4). Cardiac output and heart rate were 20% and 9% higher at T3, respectively, compared to T4 (p &lt; 0.01). Lateral S\u2019 was 36% higher at T3 than at T1 (p &lt; 0.05). Changes in diastolic function were demonstrated by 10% lower E wave and 15% A wave at T1, compared to T4 (p &lt; 0.05). E\u2019 and A\u2019 were 23% and 42% higher at T3 compared to T4 (p &lt; 0.01). Both lateral E\/E\u2019 and E\u2019\/A\u2019 were 6% and 19% lower at T3 compared to T1 (p &lt; 0.01 and p &lt; 0.05, respectively). At T3, MPI was 51% and 34% lower when compared to T1 or T2 (p &lt; 0.05). The echocardiographic evaluation of maternal cardiac function is important, as structural, and functional changes occur throughout pregnancy.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/vetsci8120306","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,12,7]],"date-time":"2021-12-07T03:21:05Z","timestamp":1638847265000},"page":"306","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Maternal Left Ventricular Diastolic and Systolic Function during Normal Pregnancy in Saint Bernard Dogs"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"8","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0983-1711","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Lu\u00eds","family":"Lobo","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Hospital Veterin\u00e1rio do Porto, 4250-475 Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"Faculdade de Medicina Veterin\u00e1ria, Universidade Lus\u00f3fona de Humanidades e Tecnologias, Campo Grande, 376, 1749-024 Lisboa, Portugal"},{"name":"Centro de Estudos de Ci\u00eancia Animal (CECA), Instituto de Ci\u00eancias, Tecnologias e Agroambiente da Universidade do Porto (ICETA), Rua D. Manuel II, Apartado 55142, 4051-401 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Joana","family":"Esteves-Guimar\u00e3es","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Cl\u00ednica Veterin\u00e1ria de Ovar, 3880-251 Ovar, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Pedro","family":"Oliveira","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Davies Veterinary Specialists, Manor Farm Business Park, Hitchin SG5 3HR, UK"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9827-2503","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Lu\u00eds","family":"Salazar","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Hospital Veterin\u00e1rio do Porto, 4250-475 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Andr\u00e9","family":"Pereira","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centro Hospitalar Veterin\u00e1rio, 4100-320 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3873-3886","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ana Patr\u00edcia","family":"Fontes-Sousa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centro de Investiga\u00e7\u00e3o Farmacol\u00f3gica e Inova\u00e7\u00e3o Medicamentosa (MedInUP), Departamento de Imuno-Fisiologia e Farmacologia, ICBAS\u2014Instituto de Ci\u00eancias Biom\u00e9dicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Rua Jorge de Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,12,4]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"467","DOI":"10.1046\/j.0960-7692.2001.00574.x","article-title":"Maternal left ventricular transverse and long-axis systolic function during pregnancy","volume":"18","author":"Kametas","year":"2001","journal-title":"Ultrasound Obstet. 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