Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41873879›Full record

ArticleJournal of veterinary internal medicine2026

Cardiac arrhythmias during intense exercise in Thoroughbred racehorses: frequency and association with subsequent race performance.

Emmanuelle van Erck-Westergren, Stephen O'Connor, Brian D Stewart, Guillaume Dubois, John Morton, Kenneth W Hinchcliff, Fe Ter Woort

Abstract read
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Article in Journal of veterinary internal medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

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

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Emmanuelle van Erck-WestergrenEquine Sports Medicine Practice, Waterloo, Belgium.
Stephen O'ConnorHong Kong Jockey Club, Department of Veterinary Clinical Services, Sha Tin Equine Hospital, Sha Tin, New Territories, Hong Kong.
Brian D StewartHong Kong Jockey Club, Department of Veterinary Clinical Services, Sha Tin Equine Hospital, Sha Tin, New Territories, Hong Kong.
Guillaume DuboisArioneo, LIM Group, Bordeaux, France.
John MortonJemora Pty Ltd, East Geelong, Victoria, Australia.
Kenneth W HinchcliffMelbourne Veterinary School, University of Melbourne and Trinity College, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Fe Ter WoortEquine Sports Medicine Practice, Waterloo, Belgium.

Funding

The Hong Kong Jockey Club
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe frequency, characteristics, and relationship with performance of arrhythmias occurring during high-intensity exercise in Thoroughbred racehorses remain poorly understood. HYPOTHESIS/

objectivesDescribe the frequency, characteristics, and association with subsequent race performance of arrhythmias occurring during intense exercise. ANIMALS: Seventy-one racehorses competing in races sanctioned by the Hong Kong Jockey Club.

methodsRisk-based case-control study. Single-lead ECGs were recorded during high-intensity trials using wearable devices. Ectopic depolarizations identified during warm-up, maximal exercise, and fast and slow recovery were characterized by frequency and morphology. Horses with ECG recordings obtained before a race were included. Race performance was classified as poor (finishing in the last 3 positions) or good (finishing in the first 3 positions). Associations between ECG variables and race performance were assessed using odds ratios.

resultsA total of 405 ECGs were recorded within 21 days before 1 or more race starts (82 poor- and 142 good-performance starts). Arrhythmias were detected in 73% and 81% of ECGs preceding good and poor performances, respectively. Ectopic beats during maximal exercise occurred in 57% of ECGs before good and in 70% before poor performances. The odds of performing poorly increased with each additional ectopic beat (odds ratio [OR], 1.15; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04-1.28; P = .01), and horses with any ectopic beat were nearly twice as likely to underperform (OR, 1.8; 95% CI, 0.86-3.81; P = .02). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Ectopic beats are common and adversely associated with athletic performance. Electrocardiographic monitoring during intense exertion might enable detection of clinically important arrhythmias.

Indexed as

Arrhythmias, CardiacHorse DiseasesPhysical Conditioning, AnimalAnimalsCase-Control StudiesElectrocardiographyFemaleHorsesMaleRunningSportsarrhythmiacardiovascularelectrocardiographyequineperformanceracingsports medicine

Identifiers

PMID41873879
PMCPMC13162024

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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.