Delta (Δ) 12-lead electrocardiography and vectorcardiography to identify the origin of focally induced atrial and ventricular premature depolarizations in horses.

Delta ECG and vectorcardiography accurately localize equine arrhythmia origins noninvasively.

This study evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of delta (Δ) 12-lead electrocardiography combined with 2D and 3D vectorcardiography (VCG) to noninvasively identify the origin of premature atrial and ventricular depolarizations in horses. Eight healthy horses underwent electrophysiological studies both standing and under general anesthesia, with premature complexes induced at 29 anatomical cardiac sites. Simultaneous ECG and VCG recordings were obtained and analyzed for mean vector directions. Results demonstrated that 3D-VCG achieved 99% accuracy for ventricular and 82% for atrial chamber-level localization (left vs. right), while simplified 2D-VCG showed comparable performance at 94% and 78%, respectively. Intra-chamber localization accuracy was lower, particularly for atrial origins. The findings indicate that combined Δ 12-lead ECG and VCG enables accurate noninvasive chamber-level arrhythmia localization in horses, with 2D-VCG offering practical applicability despite slightly lower accuracy than 3D-VCG. These techniques could facilitate targeted ablation strategies and improve arrhythmia management in equine patients.

This summary was distilled by AI and may occasionally misinterpret data. Confirm critical details with the primary literature before clinical application.