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Journal of veterinary internal medicine2018; 33(1); 212-224; doi: 10.1111/jvim.15358

The use of heart rate variability analysis to detect arrhythmias in horses undergoing a standard treadmill exercise test.

Abstract: Little is known about normal heart rate variability (HRV) in horses during exercise. It can be difficult to separate premature beats from normal beat-to-beat variation at higher heart rates. Objective: The aim was to quantify HRV in healthy horses during a high-speed treadmill-standardized exercise test (HSET) and to compare with the HRV in horses observed to have arrhythmias during exercise. Methods: Thirteen healthy horses (Group H), 30 horses with arrhythmias (Group A), and 11 horses with poor performance but no observed arrhythmias (Group O). Methods: Prospective, observational study. All horses performed a HSET with simultaneous electrocardiograph (ECG) recorded. The ECGs were corrected for artifacts, and arrhythmias noted. Percent instantaneous beat-to-beat cycle length variation (% R-R variation) was calculated, and HRV analyses were performed on trot, canter, and recovery segments. Results: Group H showed between -4.4 and +3.8% R-R variation during trot and between -6.1 and +5.4% R-R variation during the canter phase of the HSET. Group A had significantly larger maximum and 1st percentile R-R shortening and lengthening compared with Group H and Group O during the recovery phase where most arrhythmias were observed. During recovery, a cutoff of 6% maximum % R-R shortening predicted the presence of arrhythmia with 88% sensitivity and 97% specificity and likelihood ratio of 26. Conclusions: Healthy horses have little instantaneous R-R variation during exercise. If a cardiac cycle shortens more than 6% from the previous cycle during the recovery phase, this R-R interval is likely to represent an arrhythmic event.
© 2018 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.
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Publication Date: 2018-12-05 PubMed ID: 30520119PubMed Central: PMC6335521DOI: 10.1111/jvim.15358Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research involves using heart rate variability (HRV) analysis to detect arrhythmias in horses during a high-speed treadmill-standardized exercise test. The study found that healthy horses have minimal heart rate variation during exercise, and that a cardiac cycle that shortens more than 6% from the previous cycle during the recovery phase likely indicates an arrhythmic event.

Objective of the Research

  • The primary goal of the research was to quantify heart rate variability in healthy horses during a high-speed treadmill-standardized exercise test, and compare those results with horses known to have arrhythmias during exercise.

Methodology

  • The research involved three groups of horses: 13 healthy horses (Group H), 30 horses with arrhythmias (Group A), and 11 horses with poor performance but without observed arrhythmias (Group O).
  • All participating horses performed a high-speed treadmill-standardized exercise test while their electrocardiograph (ECG) was recorded. After the ECGs were corrected for artifacts, any arrhythmias were noted.
  • Researches calculated the percent of instantaneous beat-to-beat cycle length variation (% R-R variation) and performed heart rate variability analyses on trot, canter, and recovery segments.

Results of the Study

  • Healthy horses (Group H) showed between -4.4 and +3.8% R-R variation during trot and between -6.1 and +5.4% R-R variation during the canter phase of the treadmill exercise test.
  • The horses with arrhythmias (Group A) had significantly larger maximum and 1st percentile R-R shortening and lengthening compared to Groups H and O during the recovery phase—where most arrhythmias were observed.
  • During recovery, a cutoff of 6% maximum % R-R shortening predicted the presence of arrhythmia with 88% sensitivity and 97% specificity, resulting in a high likelihood ratio of 26.

Conclusions Derived From the Study

  • Healthy horses exhibit minimal instantaneous R-R variation during exercise. Should a cardiac cycle shorten by more than 6% from the previous cycle during the recovery phase, the study concludes that it likely represents an arrhythmic event.

Cite This Article

APA
Frick L, Schwarzwald CC, Mitchell KJ. (2018). The use of heart rate variability analysis to detect arrhythmias in horses undergoing a standard treadmill exercise test. J Vet Intern Med, 33(1), 212-224. https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.15358

Publication

Journal of veterinary internal medicine
ISSN: 1939-1676
NlmUniqueID: 8708660
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 33
Issue: 1
Pages: 212-224

Researcher Affiliations

Frick, Ladina
  • Equine Department, Clinic for Equine Internal Medicine, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Schwarzwald, Colin C
  • Equine Department, Clinic for Equine Internal Medicine, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Mitchell, Katharyn J
  • Equine Department, Clinic for Equine Internal Medicine, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Arrhythmias, Cardiac / diagnosis
  • Arrhythmias, Cardiac / physiopathology
  • Arrhythmias, Cardiac / veterinary
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Exercise Test / veterinary
  • Female
  • Heart Rate / physiology
  • Horse Diseases / diagnosis
  • Horse Diseases / physiopathology
  • Horses / physiology
  • Male

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This article has been cited 11 times.
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