ArticleJournal of veterinary internal medicine2026
Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation-like bursts in racehorses: do they affect speed and performance? A case control study.
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. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
backgroundParoxysmal atrial fibrillation (pAF) occurs sporadically in horses and has been implicated in poor performance. Diagnosis in large numbers of horses has previously relied on post-exercise ECGs. HYPOTHESIS/
objectivesDescribe pAF-like bursts detected during exercise and determine their effect on speed, stride, and racing performance.
methodsRetrospective case control study, evaluating records of exercising ECG consultations referred to a specialist practice to identify horses with pAF-like bursts. Controls were selected from the same population as racehorses with normal exercising ECGs.
resultsEleven cases with pAF-like bursts and 10 controls with normal exercising ECGs were identified, among 100 ECG consultations. The pAF-like bursts occurred in all horses during peak exercise (60-68 km/h; heart rate, 206-217 beats per minute), with normal ECGs during warm-up and recovery. The duration of pAF-like bursts ranged from 10 to 90 s, returning to normal rhythm in all horses before the end of peak exercise. During the pAF-like bursts, 5 horses decelerated, 3 accelerated, and in 3 horses speed was unaffected. Immediately after the pAF-like bursts, 5 horses slowed down, 4 horses did not change their speed and 2 horses accelerated. Root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD) and standard deviation of normal-to-normal intervals (SDNN) during peak exercise were high in all horses. During recovery, RMSSD was normal and SDNN was high in both the pAF-like burst and control horses. Racing performance after the pAF-like burst was available for 8 horses and 7 did not race successfully. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation-like bursts occurred during high-intensity exercise in racehorses and may be missed on post-exercise ECGs. These findings emphasize the value of peak-effort ECGs for detecting transient arrhythmias.
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