Investigating the Relationship Between Cardiac Function and Insulin Sensitivity in Horses: A Pilot Study.
Authors: Williams Natasha J, Furr Martin, Navas de Solis Cristobal, Campolo Allison, Davis Michael, Lacombe Véronique A
Journal: Frontiers in veterinary science
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Cardiac Function and Insulin Sensitivity in Horses Metabolic syndrome in horses, like its human counterpart, involves insulin resistance, yet whether this metabolic dysfunction translates to cardiac complications remains poorly understood in equine medicine. Researchers at UC Davis conducted a pilot study on seven mature horses, using insulin-modified intravenous glucose tolerance testing to quantify insulin sensitivity and performing detailed echocardiography with tissue Doppler imaging to assess myocardial function. Notably, horses with reduced insulin sensitivity demonstrated significant alterations in diastolic relaxation dynamics—specifically, stronger correlations emerged between insulin sensitivity and late diastolic myocardial velocity (r = 0.89), early-to-late diastolic velocity ratios (r = -0.92), isovolumetric relaxation time (r = -0.97), and isovolumetric contraction time (r = -0.90). These preliminary findings suggest that insulin resistance may compromise both systolic and diastolic cardiac function in horses, echoing patterns observed in insulin-resistant humans, though the small cohort size warrants cautious interpretation. Given the high prevalence of equine metabolic syndrome in middle-aged and older horses, understanding this potential cardiac-metabolic link could inform management strategies and justify screening for diastolic dysfunction in insulin-resistant populations.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Horses with poor insulin sensitivity may develop cardiac dysfunction affecting diastolic and systolic performance, warranting cardiac screening in metabolically compromised individuals
- •Tissue Doppler imaging appears useful for detecting myocardial changes associated with insulin resistance, though further study is needed to establish clinical thresholds
- •This pilot data suggests metabolic management to improve insulin sensitivity could have cardioprotective benefits, but larger studies are needed before changing clinical practice
Key Findings
- •Insulin sensitivity was significantly correlated with peak myocardial velocity during late diastole (r = 0.89, P = 0.0419)
- •Decreased insulin sensitivity correlated with altered isovolumetric relaxation time (r = -0.97, P = 0.0072) and isovolumetric contraction time (ρ = -0.90, P = 0.0374)
- •Alterations in both systolic and diastolic function were associated with reduced insulin sensitivity as measured by tissue Doppler imaging