This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. Primary support for the subproject and the subproject's principal investigator may have been provided by other sources, including other NIH sources. The Total Cost listed for the subproject likely represents the estimated amount of Center infrastructure utilized by the subproject, not direct funding provided by the NCRR grant to the subproject or subproject staff. Cardiac disease due to myocardial fibrosis has been documented as the most common cause of death in captive chimpanzee populations. Myocardial fibrosis can result in heart failure or sudden cardiac death. EKGs, blood pressure monitoring, and echocardiography have been used to screen for cardiac disease, but are not always the best tools to detect fibrosis. In humans serum biomarkers are used to identify cardiac disease. Several of these biomarkers are being evaluated as a potential tool to predict heart disease I chimpanzees. However, the biomarkers appear to be species specific and related to the type of pathology causing heart disease. Cardiac troponin, BNP and several other biomarkers are being evaluated by a collaborative group led by Michael Lammey and John Ely at the Alamogordo Primate Facility. This project is a collaborative effort between Charles River and Yerkes to help characterize the cardiac biomarker profile in chimpanzees. Within the last year approximately 10 chimps have had serum collected for biomarker analysis in conjunction with EKG and echocardiography. The biomarker samples have been shipped to UC Davis for analysis, and the data will be correlated with cardiac examination results. The collection of biomarker samples has been completed but the echocardiograms will continue. The echocardiograms are going to be standardized based on results from The Great Ape Cardiac Disease project. Echocardiograms will then be recorded in a standardized format to be able to compare results with other institutions.
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