Methods and reliability of echocardiographic assessment of left atrial size and mechanical function in horses.
Abstract: To assess the feasibility, describe the techniques, and determine the reliability of transthoracic echocardiography for characterization of left atrial (LA) size and LA mechanical function in horses. Methods: 6 healthy adult horses. Methods: Repeated echocardiographic examinations were performed independently by 2 observers in standing, unsedated horses by use of 2-dimensional echocardiography, pulsed-wave flow Doppler, and tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) techniques. Test reliability was determined by estimating measurement variability, within-day interobserver variability, and between-day inter- and intraobserver variability of all echocardiographic variables. Variability was expressed as the coefficient of variation (CV) and the absolute value below which the difference between 2 measurements will lie with 95% probability. Results: Most echocardiographic variables of LA size had low overall variability (CV, < 15%). Among the 2-dimensional indices of LA mechanical function, area-based and volume-based ejection phase indices had moderate between-day variability (CV usually 25%), whereas most TDI-derived time intervals had low variability (CV, < 15%). Conclusions: LA size and mechanical function can be reliably assessed in standing, unsedated horses by use of 2-dimensional echocardiography, transmitral blood flow velocity profiles, and analyses of LA wall motion by use of TDI. These results may provide useful recommendations for echocardiographic assessment of LA size and function in horses.
Publication Date: 2007-07-04 PubMed ID: 17605609DOI: 10.2460/ajvr.68.7.735Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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This research was focused on determining the feasibility, techniques, and reliability of transthoracic echocardiography in characterizing the size and mechanical functions of the left atrium in horses and concluded that this method can be reliably used in standing, unsedated horses.
Research Methodology
- The study was conducted on six healthy adult horses.
- Echocardiographic examinations were performed multiple times by two independent observers.
- The horses were standing and not sedated during these tests.
- The echocardiographic tests used various techniques, including two-dimensional echocardiography, pulsed-wave flow Doppler, and tissue Doppler imaging (TDI).
- The reliability of the tests was determined by assessing the variability in measurements within a day (interobserver variability), and between days (inter- and intraobserver variability).
Research Findings
- Most echocardiographic variables for left atrial size demonstrated low overall variability, indicating a high degree of repeatability and accuracy.
- The ejection phase indices, which represent the left atrial mechanical function, exhibited moderate variability between days.
- Transmitral Doppler flow indices, which represent blood flow velocity in the heart, demonstrated a range of variability from low to high between days.
- The TDI wall motion velocities, which measure heart wall movement, showed high variability between days (more than 25%), indicating less reliability over time.
- However, most TDI-derived time intervals exhibited low variability, showing consistency in these measurements across different days.
Conclusion
- This study concluded that transthoracic echocardiography can be used reliably to assess left atrial size and mechanical function in standing, unsedated horses.
- The research findings provide valuable recommendations for the echocardiographic assessment of left atrial size and function in horses, which could be crucial for diagnosing or monitoring heart conditions in this species.
Cite This Article
APA
Schwarzwald CC, Schober KE, Bonagura JD.
(2007).
Methods and reliability of echocardiographic assessment of left atrial size and mechanical function in horses.
Am J Vet Res, 68(7), 735-747.
https://doi.org/10.2460/ajvr.68.7.735 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Atrial Function, Left / physiology
- Blood Flow Velocity / veterinary
- Echocardiography / veterinary
- Echocardiography, Doppler, Pulsed / veterinary
- Female
- Heart Atria / anatomy & histology
- Heart Atria / diagnostic imaging
- Horses / anatomy & histology
- Horses / physiology
- Male
- Observer Variation
- Organ Size
- Prospective Studies
- Reproducibility of Results
Citations
This article has been cited 17 times.- Ghilardi S, Pradelli D, Rizzi R, Polli M, Bagardi M, Santilli RA, Brambilla PG, Bussadori CM. A study of the inter- and intra-operator variability on selected echocardiographic measurements in dogs.. Vet Res Commun 2023 Jun 23;.
- Carstensen H, Nissen SD, Saljic A, Hesselkilde EM, van Hunnik A, Hohl M, Sattler SM, Fløgstad C, Hopster-Iversen C, Verheule S, Böhm M, Schotten U, Jespersen T, Buhl R. Long-Term Training Increases Atrial Fibrillation Sustainability in Standardbred Racehorses.. J Cardiovasc Transl Res 2023 Apr 4;.
- Berthoud D, Schwarzwald CC. Echocardiographic assessment of left ventricular size and systolic function in Warmblood horses using linear measurements, area-based indices, and volume estimates: A retrospective database analysis.. J Vet Intern Med 2021 Jan;35(1):504-520.
- Vernemmen I, Vera L, Van Steenkiste G, van Loon G, Decloedt A. Reference values for 2-dimensional and M-mode echocardiography in Friesian and Warmblood horses.. J Vet Intern Med 2020 Nov;34(6):2701-2709.
- Hsue W, Visser LC. Reproducibility of echocardiographic indices of left atrial size in dogs with subclinical myxomatous mitral valve disease.. J Vet Intern Med 2020 Sep;34(5):1779-1786.
- Redpath A, Marr CM, Bullard C, Hallowell GD. Real-time three-dimensional (3D) echocardiographic characterisation of an atrial septal defect in a horse.. Vet Med Sci 2020 Nov;6(4):661-665.
- Caivano D, Corda A, Rishniw M, Giorgi ME, Parpaglia MLP, Conti MB, Porciello F, Birettoni F. Transthoracic M-mode echocardiographic assessment of pulmonary vein-to-pulmonary artery ratio in healthy horses.. PLoS One 2019;14(8):e0221154.
- Boegli J, Schwarzwald CC, Mitchell KJ. Diagnostic value of noninvasive pulse pressure measurements in Warmblood horses with aortic regurgitation.. J Vet Intern Med 2019 May;33(3):1446-1455.
- Frick L, Schwarzwald CC, Mitchell KJ. The use of heart rate variability analysis to detect arrhythmias in horses undergoing a standard treadmill exercise test.. J Vet Intern Med 2019 Jan;33(1):212-224.
- Abbott JA, Gentile-Solomon JM. Measurement Variation and Repeatability of Echocardiographic Variables Used to Estimate Pulmonary Artery Pressure in Dogs.. J Vet Intern Med 2017 Nov;31(6):1622-1628.
- Rhinehart JD, Schober KE, Scansen BA, Yildiz V, Bonagura JD. Effect of Body Position, Exercise, and Sedation on Estimation of Pulmonary Artery Pressure in Dogs with Degenerative Atrioventricular Valve Disease.. J Vet Intern Med 2017 Nov;31(6):1611-1621.
- Koenig TR, Mitchell KJ, Schwarzwald CC. Echocardiographic Assessment of Left Ventricular Function in Healthy Horses and in Horses with Heart Disease Using Pulsed-Wave Tissue Doppler Imaging.. J Vet Intern Med 2017 Mar;31(2):556-567.
- Trachsel DS, Giraudet A, Maso D, Hervé G, Hauri DD, Barrey E, Robert C. Relationships between body dimensions, body weight, age, gender, breed and echocardiographic dimensions in young endurance horses.. BMC Vet Res 2016 Oct 10;12(1):226.
- Huesler IM, Mitchell KJ, Schwarzwald CC. Echocardiographic Assessment of Left Atrial Size and Function in Warmblood Horses: Reference Intervals, Allometric Scaling, and Agreement of Different Echocardiographic Variables.. J Vet Intern Med 2016 Jul;30(4):1241-52.
- Flethøj M, Schwarzwald CC, Haugaard MM, Carstensen H, Kanters JK, Olsen LH, Buhl R. Left Ventricular Function After Prolonged Exercise in Equine Endurance Athletes.. J Vet Intern Med 2016 Jul;30(4):1260-9.
- Decloedt A, Schwarzwald CC, De Clercq D, Van Der Vekens N, Pardon B, Reef VB, van Loon G. Risk factors for recurrence of atrial fibrillation in horses after cardioversion to sinus rhythm.. J Vet Intern Med 2015 May-Jun;29(3):946-53.
- Reef VB, Bonagura J, Buhl R, McGurrin MK, Schwarzwald CC, van Loon G, Young LE. Recommendations for management of equine athletes with cardiovascular abnormalities.. J Vet Intern Med 2014 May-Jun;28(3):749-61.
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