Post-exercise cardiac troponin I release and clearance in normal Standardbred racehorses.
Abstract: There are currently no studies detailing cardiac troponin I (cTnI) release in normal horses post-exercise using an analytically validated assay. These data are essential for selecting appropriate sampling times in equine athletes with suspected myocardial injury. Objective: To plot the magnitude and time course of cTnI release after maximal effort, using validated cTnI assays. Methods: Descriptive longitudinal study. Methods: Five clinically normal Standardbred racehorses in race training were included in the study. Horses were exercised in harness at near-race intensity. Blood samples were taken immediately pre- and post-exercise and then hourly for 24 h. Samples were analysed using the validated high-sensitivity cTnI assay and a contemporary sensitivity cTnI assay. Results: Mean resting cTnI was 1.33 ± 0.6 s.d. ng/L (range, 0.82-2.33 ng/L) using assay A. All horses were below the detection limit at rest using assay B. Peak elevation occurred 2-6 h post-exercise with both assays (mean, 4.6 ± 1.7 and 4.0 ± 2 h, respectively). Mean peak increase in cTnI was 11.96 ± 9.41 ng/L (range, 1.72-23.76 ng/L) using assay A. Peak concentrations were detectable in three of the horses using assay B and were between 0.039 and 0.051 μg/L (mean: 0.043 ± 0.006 μg/L). All horses returned to baseline within 24 h. Conclusions: A small (n = 5) convenience sample was used as random sampling was not logistically possible. Conclusions: All horses experienced an increase in cTnI post-exercise, with peak occurring 2-6 h post-exercise. Cardiac troponin I elevation was detected earlier using the high-sensitivity assay, which may convey a diagnostic advantage. Targeted studies are needed to determine the significance of these increases.
© 2018 EVJ Ltd.
Publication Date: 2018-06-28 PubMed ID: 29806966DOI: 10.1111/evj.12486_62Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Analytical Methods
- Athletic Horses
- Athletic Performance
- Biomarkers
- Blood Analysis
- Cardiovascular Health
- Clinical Examination
- Clinical Pathology
- Clinical Study
- Equine Health
- Equine Science
- Exercise
- Exercise Physiology
- Horse Racing
- Horse Training
- Longitudinal Study
- Standardbred Horses
- Veterinary Care
- Veterinary Medicine
- Veterinary Research
Summary
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The research studied the cardiac troponin I (cTnI) release in Standardbred racehorses after strenuous exercise. The goal was to understand the peak and decline of cTnI in order to advise on sampling times for equine athletes with potential cardiac injury.
Methodology
- The study adopted a descriptive longitudinal research design.
- Five clinically normal Standardbred racehorses that were in race training were included in the study for testing.
- Each horse was subjected to near-race intensity exercise in a harness.
- Blood samples were collected before and after the exercise, then on an hourly basis for a full 24 hours to monitor cTnI levels.
- Two assays, a high-sensitivity cTnI (assay A) and a contemporary sensitivity cTnI (assay B), were used to analyze the collected blood samples.
Results
- The horses’ mean resting cTnI level, calculated using assay A, was found to be 1.33 ± 0.6 ng/L. All horses registered below the detection limit at rest when tested with assay B.
- The peak elevation in cTnI occurred within 2-6 hours post-exercise in all horses, regardless of the assay used for the test. The mean hours to peak cTnI were 4.6 ± 1.7 for assay A and 4.0 ± 2 for assay B.
- Using assay A, the mean peak increase in cTnI was discovered to be 11.96 ± 9.41 ng/L. Three horses showed detectable peak concentrations using assay B, with levels between 0.039 and 0.051 μg/L.
- All horses’ cTnI levels returned to baseline or resting state within 24 hours post-exercise.
Conclusions
- The research was limited by the small sample size, with only five horses involved. This was due to logistical constraints that made random sampling unmanageable.
- Nonetheless, the study discovered that in all cases, there was an increase in cTnI levels after exercise, peaking between 2-6 hours post-exercise.
- The high-sensitivity assay detected the cTnI elevation earlier than the contemporary assay, which the researchers inferred could offer a diagnostic advantage.
- The researchers concluded by noting the need for further targeted studies to better comprehend the implications of these cTnI increases.
Cite This Article
APA
Rossi TM, Kavsak PA, Maxie MG, Pearl DL, Pyle WG, Physick-Sheard PW.
(2018).
Post-exercise cardiac troponin I release and clearance in normal Standardbred racehorses.
Equine Vet J, 51(1), 97-101.
https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.12486_62 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Population Medicine, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
- Animal Health Laboratory, Laboratory Services Division, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
- Department of Population Medicine, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
- Centre for Cardiovascular Research, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
- Department of Population Medicine, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Breeding
- Electrocardiography / veterinary
- Female
- Half-Life
- Horses / classification
- Horses / metabolism
- Horses / physiology
- Longitudinal Studies
- Male
- Physical Conditioning, Animal / physiology
- Running / physiology
- Troponin I / blood
- Troponin I / metabolism
Grant Funding
- EG 2012 07 / Equine Guelph
- Siemens Diagnostics Inc
Citations
This article has been cited 4 times.- Hanås S, Larsson A, Rydén J, Lilliehöök I, Häggström J, Tidholm A, Höglund K, Ljungvall I, Holst BS. Cardiac troponin I in healthy Norwegian Forest Cat, Birman and domestic shorthair cats, and in cats with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. J Feline Med Surg 2022 Oct;24(10):e370-e379.
- Rump-Dierig I, Giers J, Frenzel C, Stöckle S, Gehlen H. Seasonal Trends in Cardiac Troponin I Concentration and Creatine Kinase and Aspartate Aminotransferase Enzyme Activity in Relation to Myocardial Velocity Rates in Eventing Horses. Animals (Basel) 2025 Nov 3;15(21).
- Foreman JH, Tennent-Brown BS, Oyama MA, Sisson DD. Plasma Cardiac Troponin-I Concentration in Normal Horses and in Horses with Cardiac Abnormalities. Animals (Basel) 2025 Jan 3;15(1).
- Khamis TA, Shawaf T, El-Deeb W, Almubarak A, Al-Ali MA, Almuaqqil M, AlAiyan A, Homeida AM. Preliminary study on heart response and locomotor parameters in Donkeys (Equus asinus) during exercise using fitness tracker (Equimetre). Sci Rep 2024 Sep 27;14(1):22211.
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