Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40153832›Full record

ArticleExperimental physiology2025

Cardiac conduction system and the electrocardiogram of the common hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius).

Morten B Thomsen, Peter Agger, Henrik Lauridsen, Vibeke Sødring Elbrønd, Camilla Rensch Davidsen, Emma Smedsgaard Byskov, Frederik Stig Scharling, Tobias Wang, Sara Andreia Rodrigues Abreu, Stamatios Alan Tahas and 3 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Experimental physiology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Morten B ThomsenDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2469-6458
Peter AggerDepartment of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
Henrik LauridsenDepartment of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
Vibeke Sødring ElbrøndDepartment of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark.
Camilla Rensch DavidsenDepartment of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark.
Emma Smedsgaard ByskovDepartment of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark.
Frederik Stig ScharlingDepartment of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark.
Tobias WangSection for Zoophysiology, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4350-3682
Sara Andreia Rodrigues AbreuCopenhagen Zoo, Frederiksberg, Denmark.
Stamatios Alan TahasCopenhagen Zoo, Frederiksberg, Denmark.
Carsten GrøndahlCopenhagen Zoo, Frederiksberg, Denmark.
Mads Frost BertelsenCopenhagen Zoo, Frederiksberg, Denmark.
Kirstine CalloeDepartment of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1777-7938

Funding

Carlsberg foundation CF19-0431
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The common hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) shares a common terrestrial ancestor with whales (Cetacea) and has independently evolved similar physiological adaptations to their aquatic lifestyle. Although several studies have explored the electrical signalling in whale hearts, the understanding of the conduction system and electrical activation of the hippopotamus heart remains sparse. We set out to map the conduction system within the hippopotamus heart and determine the sequence of electrical activation, including the mean electrical axis of ventricular activation. ECGs were recorded from three anaesthetized hippopotamuses. Histological samples were collected from two of these animals and from an additional animal. The hearts of the hippopotamuses constituted ∼0.3% of body mass and as in whales, the hearts were situated more cranially in the thoracic cavity compared to most terrestial mammals, and were spanning from the first to the fourth intercostal space. The network of Purkinje fibre strands extended deep into the ventricular walls and consisted of large, ovoid cells. Orthogonal ECG recordings revealed a mean electrical axis pointing towards the neck of the animal, indicating that electrical activation takes place in an apex-to-base direction.

Indexed as

ArtiodactylaHeartHeart Conduction SystemAnimalsElectrocardiographyMalePurkinje Fiberscardiovascular systemconduction systemelectrocardiogramhippopotamusPurkinje fibre

Identifiers

PMID40153832
PMCPMC12665947

What OpenQuestion holds

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.