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Veterinary record open2020; 7(1); e000441; doi: 10.1136/vetreco-2020-000441

Evaluation of a smartphone-based electrocardiogram device accuracy in field and in hospital conditions in horses.

Abstract: Due to compactness and cheapness, smartphone ECG (sECG) could be very useful to equine practitioners. However, previous studies have evaluated the accuracy of sECG in hospitalised horses only. Different conditions in the field could influence the accuracy of the device. The aim of this study is to compare the accuracy of sECG in field and in hospital conditions. Methods: This is a prospective study. Paired standard base-apex ECG (stECG) and sECG were recorded in hospitalised horses and in subjects examined in field conditions. ECGs were analysed for heart rate and rhythm, presence/type of arrhythmias, presence/duration of artefacts, electrocardiographic waves and interval parameters by a blinded clinician. Statistical analysis evaluated the agreement between stECG and sECG and the differences in the prevalence of artefact in field and hospital conditions. Results: Nineteen (hospital) and 40 (field) paired ECGs were analysed. Agreement between stECG and sECG was found for heart rate and rhythm, evaluation of atrioventricular block and premature complexes, P wave and PQ interval duration, and QRS complex duration and polarity. No differences were found between artefacts recorded in hospital and in field conditions. Conclusions: sECG is a feasible tool for evaluation of rhythm in horses and is as accurate in field as in ambulatory conditions.
© British Veterinary Association 2020. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. Published by BMJ.
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Publication Date: 2020-12-21 PubMed ID: 33381302PubMed Central: PMC7754639DOI: 10.1136/vetreco-2020-000441Google 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.

The research evaluates the accuracy of a smartphone-based electrocardiogram (ECG) device for monitoring horse heart conditions both in the hospital and in the field. This research is significant as it tests the viability of the solution in varied situations which could be helpful due to the affordability and portability of the smartphone ECG.

Purpose

  • The study was conducted to evaluate the accuracy of a smartphone-based ECG device in differing conditions – hospital and field scenarios. The authors considered it essential given the convenience, cost-effectiveness and portability of the device. Traditional studies have only evaluated the effectiveness in hospitalised conditions which may not match real-world situations.

Methods

  • This study was done in a prospective manner. The authors recorded both the standard base-apex ECG and the smartphone ECG for both hospitalised horses and those in the field.
  • The ECGs were analysed for heart rate, rhythm, arrhythmia presence and type, artefacts presence/duration, and electrocardiographic waves with interval parameters by a clinician blinded to the devices used.
  • The researchers then performed a statistical analysis to evaluate the agreement between both types of ECGs and to find out any differences in the prevalence of artefacts in hospital and field conditions.

Results

  • Nineteen ECG pairs from the hospital and forty from field conditions were analysed.
  • Results indicated good agreement between the standard ECG and the smartphone-based ECG in terms of heart rate, rhythm, evaluation of atrioventricular block and premature complexes, and the duration and polarity of the P wave, PQ interval and QRS complex.
  • The prevalence of artefacts, or poor-quality data, was found to be consistent between hospital and field conditions, indicating that the device performs well in different settings.

Conclusions

  • The study concluded that the smartphone-based ECG is an effective tool for evaluating heart rhythm in horses and found its accuracy level to be comparable in both hospitalised and field conditions.

Significance

  • The research showcases that the smartphone-based ECG device can potentially be used widely by equine practitioners considering its cost-effectiveness and ease of use. It performs well in diverse conditions, which means it can aid clinicians in various scenarios without compromising on the accuracy.

Cite This Article

APA
Alberti E, Stucchi L, Pesce V, Stancari G, Ferro E, Ferrucci F, Zucca E. (2020). Evaluation of a smartphone-based electrocardiogram device accuracy in field and in hospital conditions in horses. Vet Rec Open, 7(1), e000441. https://doi.org/10.1136/vetreco-2020-000441

Publication

Veterinary record open
ISSN: 2052-6113
NlmUniqueID: 101653671
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 7
Issue: 1
Pages: e000441
PII: e000441

Researcher Affiliations

Alberti, Elena
  • Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Milano, Lodi, Italy.
Stucchi, Luca
  • Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Milano, Lodi, Italy.
Pesce, Valeria
  • Veterinary practitioner, Genova, Italy.
Stancari, Giovanni
  • Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Milano, Lodi, Italy.
Ferro, Elisabetta
  • Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Milano, Lodi, Italy.
Ferrucci, Francesco
  • Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Milano, Lodi, Italy.
Zucca, Enrica
  • Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Milano, Lodi, Italy.

Conflict of Interest Statement

Competing interests: None declared.

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Citations

This article has been cited 7 times.
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