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Home / Equine Research Bank / J Vet Intern Med / Effect of induced chronic atrial fibrillation on exercise pe...
Journal of veterinary internal medicine2018; 32(4); 1410-1419; doi: 10.1111/jvim.15137

Effect of induced chronic atrial fibrillation on exercise performance in Standardbred trotters.

Abstract: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia affecting performance in horses. However, no previous studies have quantified the performance reduction in horses suffering from AF. Objective: To quantify the effect of AF on maximum velocity (Vmax ), maximum heart rate (HRmax ), heart rate recovery (T100 ), hematologic parameters and development of abnormal QRS complexes. Methods: Nine Standardbred trotters. Methods: Two-arm controlled trial. Six horses had AF induced by means of a pacemaker and 3 served as sham-operated controls. All horses were subjected to an exercise test to fatigue before (SET1) and after (SET2) 2 months of AF or sham. The Vmax and HRmax were assessed using a linear mixed normal model. Abnormal QRS complexes were counted manually on surface ECGs. Results: Atrial fibrillation resulted in a 1.56 m/sec decrease in Vmax (P < .0001). In the AF group, HRmax  ± SD increased from 226 ± 11 bpm at SET1 to 311 ± 27 bpm at SET 2. The AF group had higher HRmax at SET2 compared with controls (P < .0001), whereas no difference between the control and AF groups was observed at SET1 (P = .96). Several episodes of wide complex tachycardia were observed during exercise in 3 of the AF horses during SET2. Conclusions: Atrial fibrillation resulted in a significant reduction in performance, an increase in HR and development of abnormal QRS complexes during exercise, which may be a risk factor for collapse or sudden cardiac death.
Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.
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Publication Date: 2018-05-10 PubMed ID: 29749082PubMed Central: PMC6060327DOI: 10.1111/jvim.15137Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

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.

This study investigates the impact of Atrial fibrillation (AF), a common heart condition in horses, on their performance. The researchers found that AF led to a significant drop in the horses’ top speed and heart rate, and made them more likely to develop abnormal heart rhythms during exercise, potentially increasing their risk of sudden cardiac death.

Objective of the Study

  • The primary aim of the research was to determine the quantitative effect of Atrial fibrillation (AF) on the maximum speed (V), maximum heart rate (HR), recovery heart rate (T), hematologic parameters and the development of abnormal heart rhythms (QRS complexes) in Standardbred trotters.

Methodology

  • The sample size for the study was nine Standardbred trotters.
  • This was a two-arm controlled trial, where six horses had AF artificially induced by a pacemaker, and three horses acted as non-operated controls for comparison.
  • Each horse was subjected to an exercise test to the point of fatigue both before (SET1) and after (SET2) two months with AF or with the sham.
  • Their maximum speed and heart rate were evaluated, and abnormal QRS complexes were manually calculated based on surface ECGs.

Results

  • The findings showed that AF caused an average drop of 1.56 m/sec in the horses’ maximum speed.
  • The average heart rate in AF-induced horses rose from 226±11 bpm at the start to 311±27 bpm after 2 months. This figure was significantly higher in the AF group compared to the control group after two months, while no major difference was noted at the beginning of the experiment.
  • It was also discovered that three of the AF-induces horses had several episodes of tachycardia, a condition characterized by rapid heart rhythm, during the post-two-months exercise test.

Conclusions

  • The research concludes that atrial fibrillation leads to a significant reduction in a horse’s performance capacity. It causes an increase in heart rate and the development of abnormal QRS complexes during exercise.
  • This condition could be a risk factor for collapse or sudden cardiac death in horses, highlighting the importance of managing and monitoring heart health in racing horses.

Cite This Article

APA
Buhl R, Carstensen H, Hesselkilde EZ, Klein BZ, Hougaard KM, Ravn KB, Loft-Andersen AV, Fenner MF, Pipper C, Jespersen T. (2018). Effect of induced chronic atrial fibrillation on exercise performance in Standardbred trotters. J Vet Intern Med, 32(4), 1410-1419. https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.15137

Publication

Journal of veterinary internal medicine
ISSN: 1939-1676
NlmUniqueID: 8708660
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 32
Issue: 4
Pages: 1410-1419

Researcher Affiliations

Buhl, Rikke
  • Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Taastrup, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Carstensen, Helena
  • Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Taastrup, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Hesselkilde, Eva Zander
  • Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Taastrup, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Klein, Bjørg Zinkernagel
  • Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Taastrup, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Hougaard, Karen Margrethe
  • Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Taastrup, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Ravn, Kirsten Bomberg
  • Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Taastrup, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Loft-Andersen, Ameli Victoria
  • Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Taastrup, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Fenner, Merle Friederike
  • Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Taastrup, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Pipper, Christian
  • Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Jespersen, Thomas
  • Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Atrial Fibrillation / physiopathology
  • Atrial Fibrillation / veterinary
  • Electrocardiography / veterinary
  • Exercise Test / veterinary
  • Female
  • Heart Rate / physiology
  • Horse Diseases / physiopathology
  • Horses
  • Pacemaker, Artificial / veterinary
  • Physical Conditioning, Animal / physiology

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