Two Methods for 24-hour Holter Monitoring in Horses: Evaluation of Recording Performance at Rest and During Exercise.
Authors: Vezzosi Tommaso, Vitale Valentina, Sgorbini Micaela, Tognetti Rosalba, Bonelli Francesca
Journal: Journal of equine veterinary science
Summary
# Editorial Summary Diagnosing exercise-induced or intermittent arrhythmias in horses requires reliable continuous ECG monitoring, yet the optimal Holter system configuration remains unclear in equine practice. Vezzosi and colleagues compared two electrode configurations—a 7-electrode system (7-ES) and a 4-electrode system (4-ES)—by recording 24-hour Holter traces in six standardbred horses, with a standardised exercise test performed during the initial 15 minutes of each monitoring period. The 7-ES achieved substantially longer recording duration (median 24 hours versus 6.5 hours; P < .05), whilst the 4-ES produced significantly fewer motion artefacts during exercise (median 25 seconds versus 155 seconds of artefactual data; P < .05), making it more suitable for reliable diagnostic interpretation of exercise-related electrical activity. Clinicians selecting Holter systems should consider the clinical context: the 4-ES is preferable for diagnostic exercise testing where artefact-free traces are essential, whilst the 7-ES better supports extended monitoring of resting rhythms or detection of rare events requiring longer capture periods. This comparative data provides practical guidance for tailoring monitoring methodology to specific diagnostic objectives in equine cardiac assessment.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Use the 4-electrode system when performing exercise ECG tests to minimize motion artifacts and obtain cleaner diagnostic tracings during work
- •Use the 7-electrode system for extended resting ECG recordings when monitoring for intermittent arrhythmias over 24 hours
- •Method selection should depend on clinical context: exercise-induced arrhythmia assessment versus detection of resting or paroxysmal arrhythmias
Key Findings
- •7-electrode system recorded significantly longer duration (24 hours vs 6.5 hours; P < .05) compared to 4-electrode system
- •4-electrode system produced significantly fewer artifacts during 15-minute exercise test (25 seconds vs 155 seconds; P < .05)
- •Number of detached electrodes was not significantly different between the two systems
- •4-electrode system demonstrated better recording performance during exercise while 7-electrode system performed better for prolonged resting ECG monitoring