Stall-side screening potential of a smartphone electrocardiogram recorded over both sides of the thorax in horses.
Authors: Corradini Ignacio, Fernández-Ruiz Alicia, Barba Marta, Engel-Manchado Javier
Journal: Journal of veterinary internal medicine
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Smartphone ECG Recordings in Equine Practice Detecting cardiac arrhythmias at the stall-side has traditionally required standard electrocardiography equipment, but smartphone-based ECG technology now offers a more portable alternative for screening. This prospective study compared smartphone ECG recordings (SpECG) taken from both the right and left thoracic sides against clinical-standard reference ECGs in 50 horses, with two independent observers assessing arrhythmia detection and the quality and duration of electrical deflections. Agreement between smartphone and standard equipment was excellent for arrhythmia detection (κ = 0.91, *P* <0.001), though signal quality varied importantly by location: P waves were significantly clearer from the right side (20 diagnostic-quality readings versus 5), whilst QRS and QT intervals showed superior diagnostic quality from the left side (66 versus 38, and 62 versus 34 respectively, *P* <0.001). Notably, only the QRS interval measured on the left side achieved substantial agreement for duration measurements between the two devices, suggesting caution when using SpECG for precise interval timing. For practitioners, this means smartphone ECG is a reliable screening tool for identifying common equine arrhythmias, but bilateral thoracic recordings should be obtained and interpreted with awareness that right-sided tracings optimise atrial assessment whilst left-sided recordings better visualise ventricular activity and repolarisation.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Smartphone ECG can reliably screen for cardiac arrhythmias in horses at the stall, improving point-of-care diagnostics without requiring expensive equipment
- •Always obtain tracings from both sides of the thorax to maximize diagnostic quality—right side for P wave analysis, left side for QRS/QT measurement
- •This tool is most valuable for identifying horses with arrhythmias that warrant further veterinary investigation, though it cannot replace full diagnostic ECG for measurement accuracy
Key Findings
- •Excellent agreement (κ = 0.91) between smartphone ECG and reference ECG for arrhythmia detection in horses
- •P waves showed significantly better diagnostic quality from right thoracic side (20 vs 5 waves, P = 0.001)
- •QRS and QT intervals showed significantly better diagnostic quality from left thoracic side (66 vs 38 and 62 vs 34 respectively, P < 0.001)
- •Smartphone ECG is a useful stall-side screening tool for detecting common equine arrhythmias, but recordings from both thoracic sides are recommended