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Research in veterinary science2013; 95(1); 255-260; doi: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2013.02.014

Effect of breed, sex, age and body weight on echocardiographic measurements in the equine species.

Abstract: Little is known about the effect of various animal's signalment variables on echocardiographic reference values in the equine species. This study was performed to evaluate the effect of sex, breed, age and body weight (BW) on echocardiographic measurements in the equine species. Echocardiography was performed on 212 ponies or horses of various breeds, aged from 1 day to 37 years old (mean±SD: 7.8 ± 5.8 years), BW 38-890 kg (mean ± SD: 421 ± 133 kg), and free of cardiac disease. Fifty of those animals aged from 2 months to 35 years old (mean ± SD: 11.6 ± 6.4 years old); BW 77-662 kg (mean ± SD: 436 ± 135 kg) were also examined using the pulsed-wave Doppler mode. Standard two-dimensional and M-mode echocardiography were performed on all animals. Standard pulsed-wave Doppler examination of each cardiac valve was performed on the 50 first examined animals. Data were analysed using a general linear model including the effect of sex, age, breed and BW after logarithmic transformation of the data. Therefore, the same analysis was performed separately on animals aged ≤ 2 years-old and on older animals. All dimensional echocardiographic measurements were significantly affected by BW and most of them were significantly affected by breed, but not by sex. Only the aortic and the pulmonary artery internal diameter were significantly affected by age. None of the Doppler measurements were significantly affected by the tested variables. In conclusion, in the equine species, dimensional echocardiographic reference values should be established using regression equations as a function of BW, which could increase the diagnostic value of this leading technique in equine cardiology. Breed could also have an effect on those measurements.
Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Publication Date: 2013-03-26 PubMed ID: 23540604DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2013.02.014Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research article indicates that veterinarians should consider body weight and breed when determining echocardiographic measurement reference values for horses, as both factors significantly influenced the data.

Study Overview

The main aim of the study was to assess how a horse’s sex, breed, age, and body weight might affect echocardiographic measurements, which are used to detect heart diseases. A sample size of 212 healthy horses, varied in breed, age, and weight, was used. Both standard two-dimensional and M-mode echocardiography were employed, with a subset of 50 horses also examined using pulsed-wave Doppler mode.

Measurement Techniques

  • Echocardiography technique, which involves using ultrasound waves to create images of the heart, was used to examine the study’s sample animals. This method would reveal the size, thickness, and movement of the heart’s components.
  • Two-dimensional and M-mode echocardiography techniques were used on all study animals. The two-dimensional method offers a cross-sectional view of the heart while M-mode records the movement of the heart’s structures over time.
  • Pulsed-wave Doppler mode was additionally used on a smaller group within the sample. This would provide a picture of the blood’s flow through the heart and information on the function of the valves.

Data Analysis

Here, a general linear model was used to analyze echocardiographic measurements after transforming the raw data through logarithmic transformation. This model tested the effect of the four variables of sex, age, breed, and body weight. The analysis was performed both on the whole data set and then separately on young horses aged 2 years and below and on older horses.

Key Findings

  • All echocardiographic measurements were significantly influenced by body weight.
  • Most measurements were also significantly impacted by breed, while sex had no identifiable effect.
  • Regarding age, it only significantly affected the internal diameters of the aortic and pulmonary arteries but didn’t have a major impact on other measurements.
  • In the subset of horses examined using the pulsed-wave Doppler mode, none of the measurements were significantly affected by any of the tested variables.

Conclusion

The authors suggest that in order to provide accurate determinations of echocardiographic measurements in horses, veterinarians should establish reference values integrating both body weight and breed as primary influencing factors, enhancing the diagnostic value of echocardiography in equine cardiology.

Cite This Article

APA
Al-Haidar A, Farnir F, Deleuze S, Sandersen CF, Leroux AA, Borde L, Cerri S, Amory H. (2013). Effect of breed, sex, age and body weight on echocardiographic measurements in the equine species. Res Vet Sci, 95(1), 255-260. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rvsc.2013.02.014

Publication

Research in veterinary science
ISSN: 1532-2661
NlmUniqueID: 0401300
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 95
Issue: 1
Pages: 255-260
PII: S0034-5288(13)00068-4

Researcher Affiliations

Al-Haidar, A
  • Equine Teaching Hospital, Clinical Department of Companion Animals and Equids, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, Belgium.
Farnir, F
    Deleuze, S
      Sandersen, C F
        Leroux, A A
          Borde, L
            Cerri, S
              Amory, H

                MeSH Terms

                • Age Factors
                • Animals
                • Body Weight / physiology
                • Echocardiography, Doppler / methods
                • Echocardiography, Doppler / veterinary
                • Female
                • Horses / anatomy & histology
                • Horses / physiology
                • Linear Models
                • Male
                • Reference Values
                • Sex Factors

                Citations

                This article has been cited 16 times.
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