Daily Heart Rate Variability in Dogs With Atrial Fibrillation

ABSTRACT Background Daily variability of heart rate in 24‐h Holter recordings in dogs with atrial fibrillation (AF) receiving antiarrhythmic drugs (AAD) is unknown and could influence medical decisions. Hypothesis/Objectives Dogs with AF, Holter‐derived mean heart rate (meanHRHolter) over 24 h is no...

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Main Authors: Joao Escalda, Brigite Pedro, Jose Novo Matos, Antonia Mavropoulou, Christopher Linney, Joao Neves, Joanna Dukes‐McEwan, Anna R. Gelzer
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-03-01
Series:Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.70051
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author Joao Escalda
Brigite Pedro
Jose Novo Matos
Antonia Mavropoulou
Christopher Linney
Joao Neves
Joanna Dukes‐McEwan
Anna R. Gelzer
author_facet Joao Escalda
Brigite Pedro
Jose Novo Matos
Antonia Mavropoulou
Christopher Linney
Joao Neves
Joanna Dukes‐McEwan
Anna R. Gelzer
author_sort Joao Escalda
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT Background Daily variability of heart rate in 24‐h Holter recordings in dogs with atrial fibrillation (AF) receiving antiarrhythmic drugs (AAD) is unknown and could influence medical decisions. Hypothesis/Objectives Dogs with AF, Holter‐derived mean heart rate (meanHRHolter) over 24 h is not significantly different from a subsequent, consecutive 24‐h period. Animals Twenty‐five dogs with AF. Methods Prospective, descriptive, multicenter study. MeanHRHolter rate and ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) were prospectively analyzed after starting AAD. Clinically relevant difference (defined as ≥ 10 bpm in the meanHRHolter), success of rate control (defined as meanHRHolter ≤ 125 bpm). A Bland–Altman analysis and intra‐class correlation coefficient (ICC) were calculated to compare two consecutive 24‐h Holter recordings. VAs percentage difference [(maximum daily value‐minimum daily value)/maximum daily value × 100] and grading variability between recordings were also investigated. Results Small BIAS with ICC 0.98 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.95–0.99) on meanHRHolter with no statistical difference between two consecutive 24‐h Holter recordings (95% CI [−2.84–2.92], degree of freedom 24, p = 0.98). Only 2/25 dogs (8%; 95% CI [2%–25%]) had clinically significant variation, while 1/25 (4%; 95% CI [0%–20%]) dogs showed different classifications in the success of rate control between the consecutive recordings. The VAs percentage difference was 52%, with 7/25 (28%; 95% CI [14%–47%]) dogs showing a VAs grading difference of ≥ 2. Conclusion and Clinical Importance The daily heart rate variability in dogs with AF receiving AAD is low, suggesting that a single 24‐h Holter recording is adequate to assess rate control. Daily variability might be an important consideration when assessing VAs in dogs with concomitant AF.
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spelling doaj-art-d914d0eb852e49f9a7b48d80f2eccf732025-08-20T02:27:45ZengWileyJournal of Veterinary Internal Medicine0891-66401939-16762025-03-01392n/an/a10.1111/jvim.70051Daily Heart Rate Variability in Dogs With Atrial FibrillationJoao Escalda0Brigite Pedro1Jose Novo Matos2Antonia Mavropoulou3Christopher Linney4Joao Neves5Joanna Dukes‐McEwan6Anna R. Gelzer7The Queen's Veterinary School Hospital University of Cambridge Cambridge UKWillows Veterinary Centre and Referral Service West Midlands UKThe Queen's Veterinary School Hospital University of Cambridge Cambridge UKPlakentia Veterinary Clinic Athens GreeceWillows Veterinary Centre and Referral Service West Midlands UKWillows Veterinary Centre and Referral Service West Midlands UKSmall Animal Teaching Hospital, Department of Small Animal Clinical Science University of Liverpool Leahurst Campus UKDepartment of Clinical Studies and Advanced Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia Pennsylvania USAABSTRACT Background Daily variability of heart rate in 24‐h Holter recordings in dogs with atrial fibrillation (AF) receiving antiarrhythmic drugs (AAD) is unknown and could influence medical decisions. Hypothesis/Objectives Dogs with AF, Holter‐derived mean heart rate (meanHRHolter) over 24 h is not significantly different from a subsequent, consecutive 24‐h period. Animals Twenty‐five dogs with AF. Methods Prospective, descriptive, multicenter study. MeanHRHolter rate and ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) were prospectively analyzed after starting AAD. Clinically relevant difference (defined as ≥ 10 bpm in the meanHRHolter), success of rate control (defined as meanHRHolter ≤ 125 bpm). A Bland–Altman analysis and intra‐class correlation coefficient (ICC) were calculated to compare two consecutive 24‐h Holter recordings. VAs percentage difference [(maximum daily value‐minimum daily value)/maximum daily value × 100] and grading variability between recordings were also investigated. Results Small BIAS with ICC 0.98 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.95–0.99) on meanHRHolter with no statistical difference between two consecutive 24‐h Holter recordings (95% CI [−2.84–2.92], degree of freedom 24, p = 0.98). Only 2/25 dogs (8%; 95% CI [2%–25%]) had clinically significant variation, while 1/25 (4%; 95% CI [0%–20%]) dogs showed different classifications in the success of rate control between the consecutive recordings. The VAs percentage difference was 52%, with 7/25 (28%; 95% CI [14%–47%]) dogs showing a VAs grading difference of ≥ 2. Conclusion and Clinical Importance The daily heart rate variability in dogs with AF receiving AAD is low, suggesting that a single 24‐h Holter recording is adequate to assess rate control. Daily variability might be an important consideration when assessing VAs in dogs with concomitant AF.https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.70051antiarrhythmic therapyelectrocardiographyholterrate controlventricular arrhythmias
spellingShingle Joao Escalda
Brigite Pedro
Jose Novo Matos
Antonia Mavropoulou
Christopher Linney
Joao Neves
Joanna Dukes‐McEwan
Anna R. Gelzer
Daily Heart Rate Variability in Dogs With Atrial Fibrillation
Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine
antiarrhythmic therapy
electrocardiography
holter
rate control
ventricular arrhythmias
title Daily Heart Rate Variability in Dogs With Atrial Fibrillation
title_full Daily Heart Rate Variability in Dogs With Atrial Fibrillation
title_fullStr Daily Heart Rate Variability in Dogs With Atrial Fibrillation
title_full_unstemmed Daily Heart Rate Variability in Dogs With Atrial Fibrillation
title_short Daily Heart Rate Variability in Dogs With Atrial Fibrillation
title_sort daily heart rate variability in dogs with atrial fibrillation
topic antiarrhythmic therapy
electrocardiography
holter
rate control
ventricular arrhythmias
url https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.70051
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