Abstract
Aim:The objective of this study was to assess a new lead system method to improve electrocardiographic measurement in horses.Materials and Methods:Twenty-two horses with an average age of 8.8±0.8 years were enrolled in this study. Horses were divided into two groups, consisting of a control group (n=11) and athlete group (n=11). Electrocardiography (ECG) and echocardiography were performed to provide information on the structure and function of the heart. Two lead systems, base apex and modified precordial leads, were used for the electrocardiogram to assess the cardiac electrophysiological functions.Results:PR interval, QT interval, and QRS-T angle presented significant differences between the control and athlete groups when the modified precordial lead system was used. However, significant variations in the mean electrical axis were found when the base apex lead system was used. The modified precordial lead system resulted in more significant differences in cardiac electrophysiological parameters than the base apex lead system. In the athlete group, echocardiography showed cardiac adaptations such as increases in the left atrial and left ventricular dimensions and stroke volume and a decrease in heart rate in response to exercise and training. The observed differences in cardiac morphology and function between groups suggested differences in health performance in the athlete group.Conclusion:These data provided the first evidence that the modified precordial lead system improved statistical variation in ECG recording and provided the most reliable method for health screening in horses.
Highlights
It has been widely shown that exercise training improves health outcomes, such as reducing the risk of cardiac diseases and has been shown to promote many health benefits [1]
The modified precordial lead system resulted in more significant differences in cardiac electrophysiological parameters than the base apex lead system
The observed differences in cardiac morphology and function between groups suggested differences in health performance in the athlete group. These data provided the first evidence that the modified precordial lead system improved statistical variation in ECG recording and provided the most reliable method for health screening in horses
Summary
It has been widely shown that exercise training improves health outcomes, such as reducing the risk of cardiac diseases and has been shown to promote many health benefits [1]. Sudden cardiac death and cardiovascular abnormalities are considered to occur frequently in both athlete and non-athlete populations [2,3,4]. An unexplained sudden cardiac death has increased over the past 5 years [5]. Cardiovascular investigation is recommended to perform as an important component of health screening before participating in sport activities [6]. Electrocardiography (ECG) measurement is an important tool to assess the diagnosis of arrhythmias and is a gold standard for the clinical examination of electrical disturbances in horses [7,8]. Many studies have been reported to investigate the cardiac electrophysiological response in horses [9,10,11,12,13].
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