Buletin
USAMV - CN, 65 (1-2) /2008 (155-159)
ISSN
1454-2382
STUDIES REGARDING
THE ELECTROCARDIOGRAM IN CATTLES
IN DUBOIS LEAD
Brăslaşu M.C., Elena
Daniela Brăslaşu, Silvia Joiţa, M. Ghiţă,
S. Ionescu
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
Bucharest
Key words: cattle, electrocardiogram,
Dubois leads.
Abstract
There were
electrocardiographic examined 203 cattle using Dubois system; the animals were
in standing position and clinical healthy. The ECG’s parameters were as follow:
1 mV=10 mm and the paper speed of 25 mm/sec.
The cattle electrocardiogram takes part from electrocardiography group
B. The component’s values in Dubois leads are: A. Amplitude (mV, II lead):
P wave = 0,176 ± 0,004; ventricular complex = 1,183 ± 0,019 and T wave = 0,454 ± 0,011; B
duration (seconds): P wave = 0,086 ± 0,0009; P-R interval = 0,199 ± 0,001;
ventricular complex = 0,082 ± 0,0007; Q-T interval = 0,383 ±0,002; T wave =
0,095 ± 0,001; R-R interval = 0,784 ± 0,008; P-T interval = 0,588 V 0,003; TP
segment = 0,191 ± 0,006. The heat frequency was 78,48 ± 0,855 beats/min. The
electrical axes are: P wave = + 77,17 ± 0,960; ventricular complex = - 85,21 ± 0,620
and T wave = + 89,84 ± 0,670.
Introduction
Electrocardiography
is a method of diagnosis usually used in
cardiovascular diseases: cardiac arrhythmias, atrial and ventricular
enlargements, heart ischemia.
It doesn’t
exist yet an electrocardiography’ lead standard in cattle; in this way many
authors had been suggested different systems of leads.
In this
work it has been studied the ECG in cattle in lead’s system, both unipolar and
bipolar lead suggested by Dubois.
Materials and Methods
There have
been examined 203 cattle from Holstein breed and Brown breed with ages between 1,6
and 9 years old.
The ECG
were made in the animals in standing position, the simple fixation was used to
set down the animals.
The
electrocardiograms were made with a KENZ 107 machine. The parameters were: mV’s
amplitude 10 mm and paper speed of 25 mm/sec. An alcohol solution was used to
establish good skin-to clip-contact. The ECG electrodes were alligator clips.
Alligator
clips were attached to the skin as follow (figure 1,2) (3) :
-
red electrode (right anterior member) just before the right shoulder;
-
yellow electrode (left anterior member) just before left shoulder;
-
green electrode (left posterior member) ventral, at the midline between
the navel and xiphoid process;
-
black electrode – out of the triangle made by the three electrodes (left
side of the neck).
Fig. 1
The place of alligator clips
electrodes in Dubois leads
R – right forelimb;
F – left forelimb; N – neuter electrode; ECG – electrocardiograph
Statistic
interpretation was based on calculating:
-
average: x = ∑ x/n
-
variance: s2 =
n∑x2 – (∑x)2
n ( n-1)
-
standard deviation: s = √s2
-
error average: ∆x = s/√n
-
coefficients of variation: V% = s/x ∙ 100.
Results and discussion
Cattle’ electrocardiogram is from B electrocardiograph group: P and T
waves are in the opposite plan of ventricular complex. In “aVR” lead the aspect
is overflow (figure 2).
Fig. 2
Electrocardiogram’s aspect in
cattle in Dubois leads
In
Dubois system, I leads present reductions of P-QRS-T voltage (figure 3).
Fig. 3
Electrocardiogram aspect in I
lead in cattle in Dubois system
The study has also followed the ECG’s parameters
calculation, too:
A. P wave amplitude,
ventricular complex and T wave.
B. Duration: 1. P wave,
ventricular complex and T wave; TP segment, P-R interval, Q-T interval, P-T and
R-R intervals. The heart frequency has been calculated based on R-R interval.
C. The electrical axes of
P waves, ventricular complex and T wave.
The
amplitude values, the duration and the electrical axes are presented in table
1-5.
Table 1
P wave amplitude in
cattle in Dubois leads system
|
Dubois
leads
|
P wave (mV)
|
|||||
|
I.
|
II.
|
III.
|
„aVR”
|
„aVL”
|
„aVF”
|
|
|
n.
|
110
|
195
|
194
|
186
|
182
|
191
|
|
Average
|
0,027
|
0,176
|
0,145
|
0,105
|
0,043
|
0,158
|
|
Variance
|
0,001
|
0,003
|
0,019
|
0,003
|
0,004
|
0,001
|
|
Standard deviation
|
0,038
|
0,058
|
0,141
|
0,060
|
0,067
|
0,043
|
|
Error average
|
0,003
|
0,004
|
0,010
|
0,004
|
0,004
|
0,003
|
|
Coefficients of variation %
|
140,74
|
32,95
|
97,24
|
57,14
|
155,81
|
27,21
|
Table 2
Ventricular complex amplitude
in cattle in Dubois leads system
|
Dubois
leads
|
Ventricular complex (mV)
|
|||||
|
I.
|
II.
|
III.
|
„aVR”
|
„aVL”
|
„aVF”
|
|
|
n.
|
149
|
200
|
200
|
194
|
195
|
196
|
|
Average
|
0,177
|
1,183
|
1,285
|
0,538
|
0,709
|
1,243
|
|
Variance
|
0,014
|
0,076
|
0,079
|
0,037
|
0,035
|
0,077
|
|
Standard deviation
|
0,121
|
0,277
|
0,281
|
0,193
|
0,187
|
0,278
|
|
Error average
|
0,009
|
0,019
|
0,019
|
0,013
|
0,013
|
0,019
|
|
Coefficients of variation %
|
68,36
|
23,41
|
21,86
|
35,87
|
26,37
|
22,36
|
Table 3
T wave amplitude in cattle in
Dubois leads system
|
Dubois
leads
|
T wave (mV)
|
|||||
|
I.
|
II.
|
III.
|
„aVR”
|
„aVL”
|
„aVF”
|
|
|
n.
|
113
|
198
|
199
|
191
|
192
|
194
|
|
Average
|
0,037
|
0,454
|
0,452
|
0,214
|
0,214
|
0,465
|
|
Variance
|
0,002
|
0,026
|
0,023
|
0,004
|
0,005
|
0,024
|
|
Standard deviation
|
0,050
|
0,161
|
0,050
|
0,070
|
0,074
|
0,155
|
|
Error average
|
0,004
|
0,011
|
0,010
|
0,005
|
0,005
|
0,011
|
|
Coefficients of variation %
|
135,13
|
35,46
|
33,40
|
32,71
|
34,57
|
33,33
|
Table 4
Duration of the ECG
components in cattle
|
Dubois
leads
|
Duration
(s.)
|
||||||||
|
P
|
P-R
|
QRS
|
Q-T
|
T
|
R-R
|
P-T
|
TP
|
H.R.
|
|
|
n.
|
200
|
200
|
202
|
202
|
201
|
201
|
199
|
199
|
201
|
|
Average
|
0,086
|
0,199
|
0,082
|
0,383
|
0,095
|
0,784
|
0,588
|
0,191
|
78,48
|
|
Variance
|
0,0001
|
0,0006
|
0,0001
|
0,001
|
0,0004
|
0,014
|
0,002
|
0,008
|
147,03
|
|
Standard deviation
|
0,013
|
0,025
|
0,011
|
0,040
|
0,021
|
0,121
|
0,053
|
0,089
|
12,12
|
|
Error average
|
0,0009
|
0,001
|
0,0007
|
0,002
|
0,001
|
0,008
|
0,003
|
0,006
|
0,855
|
|
Coefficients of variation
|
15,11
|
12,56
|
13,41
|
10,44
|
22,10
|
15,43
|
9,01
|
46,59
|
15,44
|
Table 5
Electrical axes values in the
ECG’s waves in cattle in Dubois system
|
Dubois leads
|
Electrical axes (0)
|
||
|
P
|
QRS
|
T
|
|
|
n.
|
196
|
197
|
196
|
|
Average
|
77,17
|
- 85,21
|
89,84
|
|
Variance
|
181,49
|
75,83
|
90,61
|
|
Standard deviation
|
13,47
|
8,708
|
9,519
|
|
Error average
|
0,96
|
0,620
|
0,679
|
|
Coefficients of variation %
|
17,45
|
10,21
|
10,59
|
Based on
examinations the amplitude had the biggest increase of the ECG’s wave in “II”,
“III” and “aVF” leads, as the I lead where the amplitude’s waves is the least,
and for many times an interpretation couldn’t be possible.
In ECG’s
waves amplitude the variation is grater than + 20% in all leads. However this
greater variation is normal when the increase of ECG waves is based on many
factors as follow: the value of cardiac axes, ventricular contraction strength, cardiac enlargement et
al.
It’s
showed that the variation in ECG duration term is between 10-20%, except the
P-T segment period (the length of the heart electrical activity) in which the
variation is less than 10%.
In T wave
and TP segment the variation is greater than 20%.
A greater
variation of T wave shows why many cases is hard to appreciate when T wave
begins, that’s why we do not calculate the duration. In TP segment the
variations is 46,59% because any of
changes in cardiac frequency it’s showed that the general diastole is modified.
Also, it is possible that the T wave duration and/or ventricular wave o be
modified.
Regarding
electrical axes of the heart it is showed an average variation, less in
ventricular complex and T wave and greater in P wave.
The fact
that the variation of ECG components duration is in general less than the other
cases.
Regarding
the bibliographical dates these show that the amplitude of ECG waves is not
being too often calculate because it didn’t exist yet a leads system accepted
by everyone in large animals (cattle, horses, sheep, pigs).
In this
way, in table 6 present some dates giving by different authors.
Table 6
Duration of ECG
duration (average)(sec.)
(bibliographical dates)
|
ECG
|
Antohi C.,
1995
(1)
|
DeRoth
(8)
|
Blood D.C.,
1983
(2)
|
Meli F., 1980
(7)
|
Edwards J., 1993
(5)
|
Ghergariu S., 1970
(6)
|
Personal studies
(4)
|
|
P
|
0,054
|
0,100
|
0,1
|
0,04
|
0,10
|
0,054
|
0,086
|
|
P-R
|
0,171
|
0,208
|
0,208
|
0,11
|
0,16 –0,3
|
0,111
|
0,199
|
|
QRS
|
0,074
|
0,088
|
0,088
|
0,055
|
0,08-0,14
|
0,047
|
0,082
|
|
Q-T
|
0,361
|
0,398
|
0,398
|
0,23-0,26
|
0,32 -0,64
|
-
|
0,383
|
|
T
|
0,085
|
0,114
|
0,114
|
0,06-0,12
|
-
|
-
|
0,095
|
|
R-R
|
0,970
|
-
|
-
|
|
-
|
-
|
0,784
|
|
F.C.
|
61,62
|
75 ± 7
|
-
|
|
30 - 50
|
-
|
78,48
|
Conclusion
1. The place to fix the
traps is: the electrode of right forelimb – in front of the right shoulder, the
electrode of the left forelimb – in front of the left shoulder; the electrode
of the left posterior limb – ventrally, on the median line, between the umbilicus
and the xiphoid; the electrode of the right posterior limb – on the skin, forth
of the triangle realized by the other three traps.
2. The general aspect of
the ECG in bovine corresponds to the group B: P and T wave are in an opposite
plan to the ventricular complex.
3. The values of the ECG
waves in bovine in the II-nd lead (mV) are: P wave =0,176±0,004; ventricular
complex=1,183±0,019 and T wave=0,454±0,011. The variance in all cases is
increased.
4. The values of ECG
components duration (in seconds) in bovine are: P wave = 0,086±0,0009; P-R
interval = 0,199±0,001; ventricular complex = 0,082±0,0007; Q-T interval =
0,383±0,002; T wave = 0,095±0,001M, R-R interval = 0,784±0,008; P-T interval =
0,588±0,003 and T-P segment = 0,191±0,006. Heart rate calculated using R-R
interval is 78,48±15,44. There is a mean variance, excepting P-T interval where
the variance is low and T wave and TP segment, where the variance is high.
5. The values of cardiac
axis are: P wave = 77,17±0,96; ventricular complex = - 85,21±0,62 and T wave = 89,94±0,67. The
variance in the case of cardiac electrical cases is mean. The values of the ECG
components duration in adult bovine is similar to the data proposed by other
authors.
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Blood
D.C., J.A. Henderson, 1983, Veterinary Medicine. Ed. IV. Bailiere Tindall, London.
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Bonal C., F. Schelcher, H.P. Lefebvre, J.F. Valarcher,
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