Daily Heart Rate Variability in Dogs With Atrial Fibrillation.

Escalda, Joao ORCID: 0000-0002-5035-753X, Pedro, Brigite ORCID: 0000-0003-3027-0020, Novo Matos, Jose ORCID: 0000-0001-8128-8111, Mavropoulou, Antonia, Linney, Christopher ORCID: 0000-0002-9126-8605, Neves, Joao, Dukes-McEwan, Joanna ORCID: 0000-0002-0326-8251 and Gelzer, Anna R ORCID: 0000-0002-7997-5374 (2025) Daily Heart Rate Variability in Dogs With Atrial Fibrillation. Journal of veterinary internal medicine, 39 (2). e70051-. ISSN 0891-6640, 1939-1676

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Abstract

<h4>Background</h4>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.<h4>Hypothesis/objectives</h4>Dogs with AF, Holter-derived mean heart rate (meanHRHolter) over 24 h is not significantly different from a subsequent, consecutive 24-h period.<h4>Animals</h4>Twenty-five dogs with AF.<h4>Methods</h4>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.<h4>Results</h4>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.<h4>Conclusion and clinical importance</h4>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.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Animals, Dogs, Atrial Fibrillation, Dog Diseases, Anti-Arrhythmia Agents, Electrocardiography, Ambulatory, Prospective Studies, Heart Rate, Female, Male
Divisions:	Faculty of Health & Life Sciences Faculty of Health & Life Sciences > Inst. Infection, Vet & Ecological Sciences Faculty of Health & Life Sciences > Inst. Infection, Vet & Ecological Sciences > Small Animal Clinical Science
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	20 Nov 2025 14:34
Last Modified:	20 Nov 2025 14:34
DOI:	10.1111/jvim.70051
Related Websites:	Author Publisher
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3195527
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