Quantification of left atrial wall motion in healthy horses using two-dimensional speckle tracking.

The study investigates a method to quantify the motion of the left atrium wall in healthy horses using a technique known as two-dimensional speckle tracking (2DST) echocardiography. This information could be important in assessing heart function and prognosis in horses with mitral regurgitation or atrial fibrillation.

Objective and Methods

• The primary purpose of the study was to develop a method to quantify the motion of the left atrium wall in horses using 2DST echocardiography.
• The study further aimed to establish measurement variability for this method and to create reference intervals for variables used in 2DST. These variables include longitudinal strain, longitudinal strain rate, and time to peak left atrium contraction.
• Analysis was also carried out to determine if the variables had any correlation to age, body weight, sex, or heart rate.
• The sample group for the study consisted of 26 healthy Warmblood horses. The use of digital storage cine-loop recordings from a standardized view was used to observe and measure the motion of the left atrium wall.

Results and Conclusions

• The researchers were able to measure and quantify left atrium wall motion in the healthy Warmblood horses using 2DST echocardiography.
• The coefficient of variation, which signifies the variability of the measurements, was found to range between 2.0-11.1% for intraobserver measurements and 5.1-15.4% for interobserver measurements. This indicates a decent level of reliability in the technique.
• From this study, reference intervals for the variables used in 2DST were established for healthy Warmblood horses.
• The conclusion from the research was that 2DST is feasible and reliable to quantify the movement of the left atrial wall through a heart cycle in healthy Warmblood horses. However, further investigation is necessary to establish the clinical value of 2DST for the assessment of left atrium function.