Reference values of two-dimensional and M-mode echocardiographic measurements as a function of body size in various equine breeds and in ponies.
Abstract: The aim of this study was to establish echocardiographic reference values for the equine species using allometric regression equations based on body weight (BW) and thoracic circumference (TC). Methods: A total of 239 horses or ponies were studied, including 65 warmbloods, 33 Standardbreds, 41 Thoroughbreds, 32 Arabian horses, 28 draft horses, and 40 ponies aged from 1 day to 30 years, weighing from 18 to 890 kg, with no evidence of cardiac disease. Methods: For each horse or pony, a two-dimensional and M-mode echocardiography was performed. Within each breed, the relationships between BW or TC and echocardiographic dimensions were examined using power regression equations. Predictions and their 95% prediction intervals were calculated for the echocardiographic measurements. Results: Within each breed, all echocardiographic measurements showed a significant and positive relationship with a high coefficient of determination for the estimation of the regression equations using BW and TC as the main explanatory variables. Breed-specific power regression equations as well as the 95% prediction intervals were calculated for each echocardiographic measurement as a function of BW and TC. Conclusions: In the future, the body size-corrected and breed-specific echocardiographic reference values calculated in the present study could be used to discriminate between normal and abnormal values in a given animal.
Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2017-10-27 PubMed ID: 29111285DOI: 10.1016/j.jvc.2017.08.008Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Arabian Horses
- Body Weight
- Breed Differences
- Cardiovascular Health
- Clinical Study
- Diagnosis
- Diagnostic Technique
- Disease Diagnosis
- Draft Horses
- Echocardiography
- Equine Diseases
- Equine Health
- Horse Breeds
- Physiology
- Pony
- Regression Analysis
- Standardbred Horses
- Thoroughbreds
- Veterinary Medicine
- Veterinary Research
- Warmblood Horses
Summary
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This research study aims to establish a benchmark for normal heart measurements in horses and ponies using echocardiography, taking into consideration elements such as body weight and thoracic circumference. The findings indicate that these measurements show a significant relationship with body size and the breed of the horse or pony.
Methods
- The research examined a total of 239 horses and ponies from several different breeds. The animals ranged in age from 1 day to 30 years and weighed from 18 to 890kg. All the subjects were free from evidence of heart disease.
- Each horse or pony was subjected to a two-dimensional and M-mode echocardiography. This method of heart imaging was used to take measurements and visualise the structure and function of the heart in detail.
- The relationships between body weight (BW) or thoracic circumference (TC) and echocardiographic dimensions were studied within each breed, using power regression equations to look for patterns in the data.
- Predictions and their 95% prediction intervals were calculated for the echocardiographic measurements, setting out the range within which the researchers could be 95% certain that the true value lays.
Results
- The results indicate that all echocardiographic measurements showed a significant and positive association with body weight and thoracic circumference within each breed studied. Coefficients of determination indicated a high level of accuracy for the estimation of the regression equations.
- The data allowed for the calculation of breed-specific power regression equations and their 95% prediction intervals for each echocardiographic measurement as a function of body weight and thoracic circumference.
Conclusion
- The study concludes that these echocardiographic reference values, which account for body size and breed, could serve as a useful tool for distinguishing between normal and abnormal measurements in horses or ponies in future studies. This could ultimately aid in early detection and monitoring of heart disease in these animals.
Cite This Article
APA
Al-Haidar A, Moula N, Leroux A, Farnir F, Deleuze S, Sandersen C, Amory H.
(2017).
Reference values of two-dimensional and M-mode echocardiographic measurements as a function of body size in various equine breeds and in ponies.
J Vet Cardiol, 19(6), 492-501.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvc.2017.08.008 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Equine Teaching Hospital, Clinical Department of Companion Animals and Equids, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.
- Biostatistics, Bioinformatics, Economics and Animal Selection, Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.
- Equine Teaching Hospital, Clinical Department of Companion Animals and Equids, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.
- Biostatistics, Bioinformatics, Economics and Animal Selection, Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.
- Equine Teaching Hospital, Clinical Department of Companion Animals and Equids, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.
- Equine Teaching Hospital, Clinical Department of Companion Animals and Equids, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.
- Equine Teaching Hospital, Clinical Department of Companion Animals and Equids, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium. Electronic address: helene.amory@ulg.ac.be.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Body Size
- Echocardiography / veterinary
- Female
- Heart / diagnostic imaging
- Heart / physiology
- Horses / physiology
- Male
- Pedigree
- Reference Values
Citations
This article has been cited 7 times.- Aleixo ASC, Ferreira DOL, Tsunemi MH, Chiacchio SB, Lourenço MLG. Influence of Dorper lamb development from birth to 120 days of age on clinical and echocardiographic parameters. Sci Rep 2022 Nov 17;12(1):19726.
- Isayama N, Uchimura Y, Sasaki K, Maeda E, Takahashi T, Watanabe M. Reference Values of M-mode Echocardiographic Parameter in Adult Toy Breed Dogs. Front Vet Sci 2022;9:918457.
- Siwinska N, Michalek M, Zak A, Slowikowska M, Noszczyk-Nowak A, Niedzwiedz A, Paslawska U. Two-dimensional echocardiographic measurements of the right coronary artery in healthy horses - a pilot study. BMC Vet Res 2019 Jan 28;15(1):43.
- Matos JI, Pitti L, Parra-Quijano M, Arencibia A, Ramírez G, Díaz-Bertrana ML. Integrative anatomical and two-dimensional ultrasonographic assessment of the heart in Shetland ponies. Front Vet Sci 2025;12:1721000.
- Selecky ME, Louie EW, Donnelly C, Finno CJ, Morgan JM. Reference Values and Association of Body Weight, Age, and Sex With Echocardiographic Measurements in Non-Athletic Quarter Horses. J Vet Intern Med 2025 Sep-Oct;39(5):e70237.
- Bozzola C, Guffanti I, Ortolina A, Bronzo V, Zucca E. Influence of age, sex, bodyweight, and training on echocardiographic measurements in healthy mixed-breed donkeys. Vet Res Commun 2024 Oct;48(5):3339-3347.
- Ramos GV, Santos MM, Gava FN, de Lacerda-Neto JC. Effects of conditioning on the left ventricular function of young purebred Arabian horses. PLoS One 2024;19(6):e0304724.
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