FREE SHIPPING over $40
OVER 10000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
5% OFF ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS
100% HAPPINESS GUARANTEE
Analyze Diet
0
Veterinary medicine and science2025; 11(2); e70202; doi: 10.1002/vms3.70202

Effects of Age, Sex, and Exercise on Measurement of Serum CTnI Levels and Some Parameters Related to the Cardiovascular Capacity of Caspian Horses.

Abstract: Due to their high specificity and exclusive cardiac myocyte sensitivity, cardiac troponins T and I (cTnT, cTnI) are currently regarded as ideal biomarkers to identify cardiomyocyte damage, myocardial injury, myocardial infarction, and chronic heart failure. In fact, cTnI is considered the most reliable biomarker for diagnosing heart-related issues. This study aimed to investigate the effects of age, gender, and exercise training on serum cTnI levels and various parameters related to the cardiovascular capacity of Caspian horses. For this purpose, 50 adult Caspian horses over 3 years old, both male and female, were selected from horse breeding centres and clubs in the provinces of Tehran, Alborz, and Gilan. To account for age-related differences, the horses were divided into three groups: Group A (less than 5 years), Group B (between 5 and 10 years), and Group C (over 10 years). To measure cTnI levels, 10 mL of blood was collected from the jugular vein of each horse using a venoject blood collection tube before exercise and another 10 mL 2 h post-exercise. The samples were refrigerated and centrifuged for 30 min after collection. Two millilitres of serum obtained from each horse at both time points was stored at -20°C for subsequent analysis. Troponin I levels were measured in the laboratory using the electrochemical luminescence (ECL) method. The results of this study reveal for the first time that the normal average of serum cTnI, packed cell volume (PCV), and blood haemoglobin (Hb) levels in Caspian horses is 2.5 ng/L, 35.52%, and 12.1%, respectively. Furthermore, the findings indicate that exercise significantly increases serum levels of cTnI, PCV, and blood haemoglobin; however, age and gender did not appear to affect these measured parameters. Therefore, it can be concluded that exercise stimulates the release of troponin due to myocardial injury.
© 2025 The Author(s). Veterinary Medicine and Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Get Full Text
Publication Date: 2025-03-11 PubMed ID: 40065591DOI: 10.1002/vms3.70202Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
LinkedInCopy
  • 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.

The research article investigates the impact of age, sex, and exercise on cardiac-specific biomarkers known as Cardiac troponins T and I (cTnT and cTnI) and other heart-related parameters in Caspian horses.

Research Aim and Methodology

  • The main aim of the study was to examine the influence of age, gender, and exercise training on serum levels of cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and other cardiovascular parameters in Caspian horses.
  • A total of 50 adult Caspian horses, both males and females, aged over 3 years were involved in the study. They were selected from horse breeding clubs and centres in the provinces of Tehran, Alborz, and Gilan.
  • The horses were categorized into three groups according to their age to ascertain any age-related differences: Group A (under 5 years), Group B (5 to 10 years), and Group C (above 10 years).
  • Blood was drawn from each horse before and after exercise to measure cTnI levels. The samples were preserved in a cold environment and later spun in a centrifuge for 30 minutes after collection.
  • The serum obtained from the centrifuged blood sample was used for laboratory analysis using the Electrochemical Luminescence (ECL) method to measure Troponin I levels.

Research Findings

  • The research arrived at a normal average of 2.5 ng/L for serum cTnI, 35.52% for packed cell volume (PCV), and 12.1% for blood haemoglobin (Hb) in Caspian horses.
  • Exercise was observed to significantly elevate the serum levels of cTnI, PCV, and blood haemoglobin.
  • However, the research noted that neither age nor gender appeared to impact these measured parameters.

Conclusion

  • In conclusion, the study suggests that exercise stimulates the release of troponin due to myocardial damage in horses.
  • It also emphasizes that cTnI is a reliable biomarker for detecting heart-related ailments due to its high sensitivity and specificity to cardiac myocyte, supporting its use in veterinary and equine sports medicine.

Cite This Article

APA
Mehrazin H, Sakha M, Safi S. (2025). Effects of Age, Sex, and Exercise on Measurement of Serum CTnI Levels and Some Parameters Related to the Cardiovascular Capacity of Caspian Horses. Vet Med Sci, 11(2), e70202. https://doi.org/10.1002/vms3.70202

Publication

Veterinary medicine and science
ISSN: 2053-1095
NlmUniqueID: 101678837
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 11
Issue: 2
Pages: e70202

Researcher Affiliations

Mehrazin, Hossein
  • Department of Clinical Science, School of Veterinary Medicine, Science and research branch,Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
Sakha, Mehdi
  • Department of Clinical Science, School of Veterinary Medicine, Science and research branch,Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
Safi, Shahabeddin
  • Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Horses / blood
  • Horses / physiology
  • Female
  • Physical Conditioning, Animal / physiology
  • Male
  • Troponin I / blood
  • Sex Factors
  • Age Factors
  • Biomarkers / blood
  • Iran

References

This article includes 66 references
  1. Adamu L, Noraniza MA, Rasedee A, Bashir A. Effect of Age and Performance on Physical, Hematological, and Biochemical Parameters in Endurance Horses. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science 33, no. 6: 415–420.
  2. Alberti E, Stucchi L, Lo Feudo CM. Evaluation of Cardiac Arrhythmias Before, During, and After Treadmill Exercise Testing in Poorly Performing Standardbred Racehorses. Animals 11, no. 8: 2413.
  3. Allaam M, Elseady Y, Nayel M. Physiological and Hemato‐Chemical Evaluation of Thoroughbred Race Horse After Exercise. IJAVMS 8, no. 3: 81–93.
  4. Ayvazoğlu C, Kızıltpe Ş, Yaşar Ü, Yaşar Z, Demir P, Tunc A. Changes in Cardiac Troponin I (cTnI), T (cTnT), and Some Biochemical Parameters in Arabian Racehorses After Training. South African Journal of Animal Science 53, no. 1: 1–6.
  5. Baker P, Leckie T, Harrington D, Richardson A. Exercise‐Induced Cardiac Troponin Elevation: An Update on the Evidence, Mechanism and Implications. IJC Heart & Vasculature 22: 181–186.
  6. Cabiati M, Sapio A, Salvadori C. Evaluation of Transcriptional Levels of the Natriuretic Peptides, Endothelin‐1, Adrenomedullin, Their Receptors and Long Non‐Coding RNAs in Rat Cardiac Tissue as Cardiovascular Biomarkers of Aging. Peptides 123: 170173.
  7. Carretón E, Morchón R, Montoya‐Alonso JA. Cardiopulmonary and Inflammatory Biomarkers in Heartworm Disease. Parasites & Vectors 10, no. 2: 151–163.
  8. Cediel G, Codina P, Spitaleri G. Gender‐Related Differences in Heart Failure Biomarkers. Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine 7: 617705.
  9. Chow SL, Maisel AS, Anand I. Role of Biomarkers for the Prevention, Assessment, and Management of Heart Failure: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association. Circulation 135, no. 22: e1054–e1091.
  10. Clerico A, Zaninotto M, Passino C, Padoan A, Migliardi M, Plebani M. High‐sensitivity Methods for Cardiac Troponins: The Mission Is Not Over Yet. Advances in Clinical Chemistry 103: 215–252.
  11. de Solis CN, Althaus F, Basieux N, Burger D. Sudden Death in Sport and Riding Horses During and Immediately After Exercise: A Case Series. Equine Veterinary Journal 50, no. 5: 644–648.
  12. Đoković S, Marković L, Đermanović V, Trailović R. Indicators of Exhaustion and Stress Markers in Endurance Horses. Medycyna Weterynaryjna 77, no. 7: 331–336.
  13. Du X, Su X, Zhang W. Progress, Opportunities, and Challenges of Troponin Analysis in the Early Diagnosis of Cardiovascular Diseases. Analytical Chemistry 94, no. 1: 442–463.
  14. Fazio F, Aragona F, Piccione G, Pino C, Giannetto C. Cardiac Biomarker Responses to Acute Exercise in Show Jumping Horses. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science 128: 104882.
  15. Ferlazzo A, Cravana C, Fazio E, Medica P. The Different Hormonal System During Exercise Stress Coping in Horses. Veterinary World 13, no. 5: 847.
  16. Flethøj M, Kanters JK, Haugaard MM. Changes in Heart Rate, Arrhythmia Frequency, and Cardiac Biomarker Values in Horses During Recovery After a Long‐Distance Endurance Ride. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 248, no. 9: 1034–1042.
  17. Guma MA. Structure‐Function Relationship of Muscle Thin Filament Regulatory Proteins: Tropomyosin and Troponin University of Leicester. .
  18. Hellings IR, Krontveit R, Øverlie M, Kallmyr A, Holm T, Fintl C. Pre‐and Post‐Race Serum Cardiac Troponin T Concentrations in Standardbred Racehorses. The Veterinary Journal 256: 105433.
  19. Howland RH. Vagus Nerve Stimulation. Current Behavioral Neuroscience Reports 1: 64–73.
  20. Iorga A, Cunningham CM, Moazeni S, Ruffenach G, Umar S, Eghbali M. The Protective Role of Estrogen and Estrogen Receptors in Cardiovascular Disease and the Controversial Use of Estrogen Therapy. Biology of Sex Differences 8, no. 1: 1–16.
  21. Jaffe AS, Babuin L, Apple FS. Biomarkers in Acute Cardiac Disease: The Present and the Future. Journal of the American College of Cardiology 48, no. 1: 1–11.
  22. Janczarek I, Kędzierski W, Wilk I, Wnuk‐Pawlak E, Rakowska A. Comparison of Daily Heart Rate Variability in Old and Young Horses: A Preliminary Study. Journal of Veterinary Behavior 38: 1–7.
  23. Johnston JR, Landim‐Vieira M, Marques MA. The Intrinsically Disordered C Terminus of Troponin T Binds to Troponin C to Modulate Myocardial Force Generation. Journal of Biological Chemistry 294, no. 52: 20054–20069.
  24. Kang O‐D, Park Y‐S. Effect of Age on Heart Rate, Blood Lactate Concentration, Packed Cell Volume and Hemoglobin to Exercise in Jeju Crossbreed Horses. Journal of Animal Science and Technology 59: 1–6.
  25. Katrukha IA, Katrukha AG. Myocardial Injury and the Release of Troponins I and T in the Blood of Patients. Clinical Chemistry 67, no. 1: 124–130.
  26. Kim YD, Chen B, Beauregard J. 17β‐Estradiol Prevents Dysfunction of Canine Coronary Endothelium and Myocardium and Reperfusion Arrhythmias After Brief Ischemia/Reperfusion. Circulation 94, no. 11: 2901–2908.
  27. Kırbaş A, Değirmençay Ş, Kilinc A, Eroğlu M. Evaluation of Serum Cardiac Troponin‐I Concentration and Cardiac Enzyme Activities in Neonatal Calves With Sepsis. Israel Journal of Veterinary Medicine 76, no. 1: 4–11.
  28. Kraus M, Kaufer B, Damiani A. Elimination Half‐Life of Intravenously Administered Equine Cardiac Troponin I in Healthy Ponies. Equine Veterinary Journal 45, no. 1: 56–59.
  29. Krumrych W. Variability of Clinical and Haematological Indices in the Course of Training Exercise in Jumping Horses. Bulletin‐Veterinary Institute in Pulawy 50, no. 3: 391.
  30. Liu H, Pedram A, Kim JK. Oestrogen Prevents Cardiomyocyte Apoptosis by Suppressing p38α‐Mediated Activation of p53 and by Down‐Regulating p53 Inhibition on p38β. Cardiovascular Research 89, no. 1: 119–128.
  31. Macedo LP, Binda MB, Teixeira FA. Electrocardiographic and Blood Parameters in Show Jumping Horses Submitted to a Field Test Under Tropical Conditions. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science 58: 1–6.
  32. Marron O, Hare V, Ramsey I. Validation of a Point‐of‐Care Haemoglobin Meter (Avie Total HbTM) for Canine and Feline Blood Samples. BSAVA Congress Proceedings 2015 Birmingham UK.
  33. McKeever K, Eaton T, Geiser S, Kearns C, Lehnhard R. Age Related Decreases in Thermoregulation and Cardiovascular Function in Horses. Equine Veterinary Journal 42: 220–227.
  34. Mihisy AAM, E Gaden AA, E Doud MA, M Guled MA, A Aboo NA, S Ahmed SA. Studies on Effects of Exercise on Complete Blood Count of Horses (Equus caballus) in Khartoum State Sudan University of Science and Technology. .
  35. Miknienė Z, Maslauskas K, Kerzienė S, Kučinskienė J, Kučinskas A. The Effect of Age and Gender on Blood Haematological and Serum Biochemical Parameters in Žemaitukai Horses. Veterinarija Ir Zootechnika 65, no. 87.74‐79.
  36. Mozos I. Mechanisms Linking Red Blood Cell Disorders and Cardiovascular Diseases. BioMed Research International 2015, no. 1: 682054.
  37. Nadir MA, Rekhraj S, Wei L. Improving the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Events by Using Biomarkers to Identify Individuals With Silent Heart Disease. Journal of the American College of Cardiology 60, no. 11: 960–968.
  38. Nath L, Anderson G, Hinchcliff K, Savage C. Serum Cardiac Troponin I Concentrations in Horses With Cardiac Disease. Australian Veterinary Journal 90, no. 9: 351–357.
  39. Nostell K, Häggström J. Resting Concentrations of Cardiac Troponin I in Fit Horses and Effect of Racing. Journal of Veterinary Cardiology 10, no. 2: 105–109.
  40. Nunan D, Sandercock GR, Brodie DA. A Quantitative Systematic Review of Normal Values for Short‐Term Heart Rate Variability in Healthy Adults. Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology 33, no. 11: 1407–1417.
  41. O'brien P, Smith D, Knechtel T. Cardiac Troponin I Is a Sensitive, Specific Biomarker of Cardiac Injury in Laboratory Animals. Laboratory Animals 40, no. 2: 153–171.
  42. Papamitsou T, Barlagiannis D, Papaliagkas V, Kotanidou E, Dermentzopoulou‐Theodoridou M. Testosterone‐Induced Hypertrophy, Fibrosis and Apoptosis of Cardiac Cells—An Ultrastructural and Immunohistochemical Study. Medical Science Monitor: International Medical Journal of Experimental and Clinical Research 17, no. 9: BR266.
  43. Parsanathan R, Jain SK. Novel Invasive and Noninvasive Cardiac‐Specific Biomarkers in Obesity and Cardiovascular Diseases. Metabolic Syndrome and Related Disorders 18, no. 1: 10–30.
  44. Patteson M. Prepurchase Examination in Horses: Detection and Significance of Heart Murmurs. In Practice 32, no. 9: 438–443.
  45. Pfeiffer D. Veterinary Epidemiology: An Introduction. .
  46. Phillips W, Giguere S, Franklin RP, Hernandez J, Adin D, Peloso JG. Cardiac Troponin I in Pastured and Race‐Training Thoroughbred Horses. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine 17, no. 4: 597–599.
  47. Poole DC, Copp SW, Colburn TD. Guidelines for Animal Exercise and Training Protocols for Cardiovascular Studies. American Journal of Physiology‐Heart and Circulatory Physiology 318, no. 5: H1100–H1138.
  48. Pourmohammad M, Lida Moghaddam‐Banaem L, Karamnia Far M. The Effect of a Period of Combined Exercise Training on Gestational Weight Gain in Overweight Pregnant Women. Sarem Journal of Medical Research 5, no. 3: 99–107.
  49. Reef V, Bonagura J, Buhl R. Recommendations for Management of Equine Athletes With Cardiovascular Abnormalities. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine 28, no. 3: 749–761.
  50. Regan B, O'Kennedy R, Collins D. Point‐of‐Care Compatibility of Ultra‐Sensitive Detection Techniques for the Cardiac Biomarker Troponin I—Challenges and Potential Value. Biosensors 8, no. 4: 114.
  51. Rishniw M, Simpson KW. Cloning and Sequencing of Equine Cardiac Troponin I and Confirmation of Its Usefulness as a Target Analyte for Commercial Troponin I Analyzers. Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation 17, no. 6: 582–584.
  52. Sadeghi R, Moradi‐Shahrbabak M, Miraei Ashtiani SR, Schlamp F, Cosgrove EJ, Antczak DF. Genetic Diversity of Persian Arabian Horses and Their Relationship to Other Native Iranian Horse Breeds. Journal of Heredity 110, no. 2: 173–182.
  53. Serra M, Papakonstantinou S, Adamcova M, O'Brien PJ. Veterinary and Toxicological Applications for the Detection of Cardiac Injury Using Cardiac Troponin. The Veterinary Journal 185, no. 1: 50–57.
  54. Shields E, Seiden‐Long I, Massie S, Leguillette R. 24‐hour Kinetics of Cardiac Troponin‐T Using a “High‐Sensitivity” Assay in Thoroughbred Chuckwagon Racing Geldings After Race and Associated Clinical Sampling Guidelines. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine 32, no. 1: 433–440.
  55. Shih AC. Cardiac Monitoring in Horses. Veterinary Clinics: Equine Practice 35, no. 1: 205–215.
  56. Spratt D, Mellanby R, Drury N, Archer J. Cardiac Troponin I: Evaluation of a Biomarker for the Diagnosis of Heart Disease in the Dog. Journal of Small Animal Practice 46, no. 3: 139–145.
  57. Takasu M, Nagatani N, Tozaki T. Hematological and Biochemical Reference Values for the Endangered Kiso Horse. Journal of Equine Science 24, no. 4: 75–78.
  58. Trachsel DS, Giraudet A, Maso D. Relationships Between Body Dimensions, Body Weight, Age, Gender, Breed and Echocardiographic Dimensions in Young Endurance Horses. BMC Veterinary Research 12, no. 1: 1–9.
  59. van de Locht M, Borsboom TC, Winter JM, Ottenheijm CA. Troponin Variants in Congenital Myopathies: How They Affect Skeletal Muscle Mechanics. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 22, no. 17: 9187.
  60. Van Der Vekens N, Decloedt A, Sys S, Ven S, De Clercq D, van Loon G. Evaluation of Assays for Troponin I in Healthy Horses and Horses With Cardiac Disease. The Veterinary Journal 203, no. 1: 97–102.
  61. Votion DM, Navet R, Lacombe VA. Muscle Energetics in Exercising Horses. Equine and Comparative Exercise Physiology 4, no. 3–4: 105–118.
  62. Willekes C. From Steppe to Stable: Horses and Horsemanship in the Ancient World University of Calgary. .
  63. Wood T, Stanley S, Woods WE, Henry P, Watt D, Tobin T. Evaluation of Threshold Doses of Drug Action in the Horse Using Hematocrit Values as an Indicator. Research Communications in Chemical Pathology and Pharmacology 75, no. 2: 231–241.
  64. Younes M, Robert C, Barrey E, Cottin F. Effects of Age, Exercise Duration, and Test Conditions on Heart Rate Variability in Young Endurance Horses. Frontiers in Physiology 7: 155.
  65. Zandi MB, Javaremi AN, Pakde A. Assessment of Body Measurement Characteristics of Iranian Turkoman and Caspian Horses. Bulletin of Environment, Pharmacology and Life Sciences 3, no. 4: 207–214.
  66. Zethelius BR, Johnston N, Venge P. Troponin I as a Predictor of Coronary Heart Disease and Mortality in 70‐Year‐Old Men: A Community‐Based Cohort Study. Circulation 113, no. 8: 1071–1078.

Citations

This article has been cited 0 times.
Subscribe to our newsletter
Join 99,727 horse owners like you who receive our email updates on horse health and nutrition.