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Home / Equine Research Bank / J Vet Intern Med / Prevalence and characteristics of ventricular septal defects...
Journal of veterinary internal medicine2021; 35(3); 1573-1581; doi: 10.1111/jvim.16106

Prevalence and characteristics of ventricular septal defects in a non-racehorse equine population (2008-2019).

Abstract: Ventricular septal defects (VSDs) are the most common congenital cardiac defect in horses. Objective: To identify prevalence, age, breed, and sex distribution of VSD and to describe associated clinical and ultrasonographic findings. Methods: Hospital-based population of 21 136 horses presented to the equine internal medicine department. Methods: Medical records over a 12-year period were reviewed for VSD confirmed by ultrasonography. Age, breed, sex, sport discipline, murmur, clinical signs, outcome, VSD type, VSD size, shunt velocity, cardiac dimensions, concomitant cardiac anomalies, and valvular regurgitations were recorded. Results: From 1894 horses that underwent echocardiography, 54 had a VSD: 42 as an isolated lesion and 12 as part of complex congenital heart disease (CHD). Median age was 5 years (range, 0-26) and 1 year (range, 0-8), respectively. Warmbloods and males were overrepresented. In the isolated VSD group, only 15% had associated clinical signs and most horses had a perimembranous VSD (pmVSD; 36/42). Horses with a pmVSD and clinical signs showed a significantly lower maximal shunt velocity (3.77 vs 5.20 m/s; P < .001), higher VSD/Aortic root (Ao) diameter (0.52 vs 0.38; P = .05), higher left atrium/Ao diameter (1.94 vs 1.22; P < .001), and higher pulmonary artery/Ao diameter (1.15 vs 0.88; P = .005) compared to horses without clinical signs. All horses with complex CHD had clinical signs and abnormal cardiac dimensions. Conclusions: Most isolated VSD were diagnosed only at a later age and were not associated with clinical signs. Horses with complex CHD were more likely to have or develop clinical signs at younger age.
© 2021 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.
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Publication Date: 2021-03-20 PubMed ID: 33742468PubMed Central: PMC8163134DOI: 10.1111/jvim.16106Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

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The study investigated the prevalence, characteristics, and clinical implications of Ventricular Septal Defects (VSDs) in a horse population that was not racehorses. The findings reveal that most isolated VSD were detected at older ages and typically didn’t show clinical symptoms, while horses with complex Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) are more likely to show symptoms at an earlier age.

Methods and Study Population

  • The research was conducted on a hospital-based population numbering 21,136 horses that were presented to the equine internal medicine department.
  • The medical records of these horses over a period of 12 years were thoroughly reviewed for instances of VSD as confirmed by ultrasonography.
  • Data such as age, breed, sex, sports discipline, any murmur, clinical signs, outcome, VSD type and size, shunt velocity, cardiac dimensions, any concomitant cardiac anomalies, and valvular regurgitations were recorded.

Results

  • Out of 1,894 horses that underwent echocardiography, 54 were found to have a VSD.
  • Among these, 42 had VSD as an isolated lesion while 12 had VSD as part of complex congenital heart diseases (CHD).
  • The median age for the horses with isolated VSD was 5 years while it was 1 year for horses with complex CHD.
  • Warmblood breeds and males were found to be overrepresented in cases of VSD.
  • Only 15% of horses with an isolated VSD showed associated clinical signs.
  • Most horses (36 of 42) had a perimembranous VSD (pmVSD).
  • Horses showing clinical signs with a pmVSD were found to have a significantly lower maximal shunt velocity, a higher VSD/Aortic root diameter, a higher left atrium/Aortic diameter, and a taller pulmonary artery/Aortic diameter compared to horses without any clinical signs.
  • All horses with complex CHD exhibited clinical signs and abnormal cardiac dimensions.

Conclusion

  • The study concluded that most isolated cases of VSDs are usually diagnosed at later ages and aren’t typically associated with any clinical symptoms.
  • However, horses with complex CHD are more likely to start showing clinical symptoms at a much younger age, making it important to Catch if suspected.

Cite This Article

APA
De Lange L, Vera L, Decloedt A, Van Steenkiste G, Vernemmen I, van Loon G. (2021). Prevalence and characteristics of ventricular septal defects in a non-racehorse equine population (2008-2019). J Vet Intern Med, 35(3), 1573-1581. https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.16106

Publication

Journal of veterinary internal medicine
ISSN: 1939-1676
NlmUniqueID: 8708660
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 35
Issue: 3
Pages: 1573-1581

Researcher Affiliations

De Lange, Lisa
  • Equine Cardioteam, Department of Large Animal Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
Vera, Lisse
  • Equine Cardioteam, Department of Large Animal Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
Decloedt, Annelies
  • Equine Cardioteam, Department of Large Animal Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
Van Steenkiste, Glenn
  • Equine Cardioteam, Department of Large Animal Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
Vernemmen, Ingrid
  • Equine Cardioteam, Department of Large Animal Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
van Loon, Gunther
  • Equine Cardioteam, Department of Large Animal Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Echocardiography / veterinary
  • Heart Defects, Congenital / veterinary
  • Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular / diagnostic imaging
  • Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular / epidemiology
  • Heart Septal Defects, Ventricular / veterinary
  • Horse Diseases / diagnostic imaging
  • Horse Diseases / epidemiology
  • Horses
  • Male
  • Prevalence
  • Ultrasonography

Grant Funding

  • 01B05818 / Special Research Fund of Ghent University
  • 01D16619 / Special Research Fund of Ghent University
  • 1S56217N / Research Foundation Flanders
  • 1134919N / Research Foundation Flanders

Conflict of Interest Statement

Authors declare no conflict of interest.

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