Veterinary research communications2026; 50(6); 545; doi: 10.1007/s11259-026-11486-9

Electrocardiographic recording in horses at rest: a concordance analysis of two methods.

Abstract: Cardiac arrhythmias are frequently detected during routine auscultation in athletic horses. Assessment of their clinical significance requires electrocardiography (ECG) to analyze waveforms and intervals. In recent years, portable ECG devices have been introduced to simplify electrocardiographic examination, offering advantages such as ease of use and the ability to review results via a smartphone. This study evaluated the utility and accuracy of a portable ECG device compared with a standard electrocardiograph. Simultaneous ECG recordings were obtained from 28 healthy adult horses at rest using a portable device (eKuore) and a standard electrocardiograph (Cardioline Vet600). Agreement between the two methods was assessed using Passing-Bablok regression and Bland-Altman analysis. All recordings were independently interpreted by two observers. A significant bias was observed between methods for heart rate, PR interval, and QRS duration, with higher values obtained using the portable device. Two arrhythmias were identified: second-degree atrioventricular block and atrial fibrillation. Agreement for arrhythmia detection was perfect (κ = 1.00), while agreement for heart rhythm classification (bradycardia, normal rhythm, or tachycardia) was good (κ = 0.73). In conclusion, the portable device demonstrated good diagnostic performance for arrhythmia detection during routine clinical examinations. However, further studies are required to establish reference intervals specific to this device.

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Publication Date: 2026-09-01 PubMed ID: 42678642PubMed Central: 7517866DOI: 10.1007/s11259-026-11486-9Google Scholar: Lookup

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Journal Article

Summary

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Overview

This study compares the accuracy and reliability of a portable ECG device with a standard electrocardiograph in recording and analyzing the heart activity of horses at rest.
It focuses on the agreement between the two methods in measuring heart rate, intervals, and detecting arrhythmias in healthy horses.

Background and Purpose

Cardiac arrhythmias—irregular heartbeats—are commonly found during routine check-ups of athletic horses.
To understand the clinical impact of these arrhythmias, electrocardiography (ECG) is necessary; it helps analyze specific aspects of the heartbeat waveform, including timing intervals.
Portable ECG devices have been recently introduced, promising benefits such as ease of use and the ability to view results via smartphones.
This study set out to evaluate whether a portable ECG device (eKuore) produces results comparable to those of a traditional, standard ECG machine (Cardioline Vet600) when used on horses at rest.

Methodology

Researchers conducted simultaneous ECG recordings on 28 healthy adult horses using both the portable device and the standard electrocardiograph.
Data collected included measurements of heart rate, PR interval (the time between atrial and ventricular contractions), and QRS duration (ventricular contraction time).
Two observers independently interpreted all ECG recordings to ensure unbiased analysis.
The study applied statistical methods, including Passing-Bablok regression and Bland-Altman analysis, to assess the agreement between the two devices’ measurements.

Key Findings

There was a statistically significant difference (bias) in measurements of heart rate, PR interval, and QRS duration between the two methods, with the portable device consistently showing higher values.
Two types of arrhythmias were detected across the horses: second-degree atrioventricular (AV) block and atrial fibrillation.
When it came to identifying arrhythmias, the agreement between the portable and standard devices was perfect (κ=1.00), indicating excellent concordance.
For classifying heart rhythm into categories of bradycardia (slow heart rate), normal rhythm, or tachycardia (fast heart rate), agreement was good but not perfect (κ=0.73).

Conclusions and Implications

The portable ECG device performed well in detecting cardiac arrhythmias during routine clinical examinations in resting horses.
Its ease of use and capability to transmit results via smartphone make it a potentially valuable tool for equine veterinary practice.
However, because the portable device tended to return higher values for key measurements, establishing specific reference intervals for this device is necessary to interpret results accurately.
Further research is recommended to validate these findings across different conditions and populations of horses, potentially broadening the clinical applicability of portable ECG technology.

Cite This Article

APA

(2026). Electrocardiographic recording in horses at rest: a concordance analysis of two methods. Vet Res Commun, 50(6), 545. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11259-026-11486-9

Publication

Veterinary research communications

ISSN: 1573-7446

NlmUniqueID: 8100520

Country: Switzerland

Language: English

Volume: 50

Issue: 6

PII: 545

Researcher Affiliations

MeSH Terms

Animals
Horses / physiology
Electrocardiography / veterinary
Electrocardiography / instrumentation
Electrocardiography / methods
Arrhythmias, Cardiac / veterinary
Arrhythmias, Cardiac / diagnosis
Female
Male
Horse Diseases / diagnosis
Heart Rate

Conflict of Interest Statement

Declarations. Ethical approval: This protocol was approved by the Animal Experimentation Ethics Advisory Committee of the University of Zaragoza (Ref. PD36/20NE). Consent to participate: Informed consent was obtained from all owners of subjects involved in the study. Consent to publish: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

References

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