Cardiovascular training adaptations in Criollo breed horses: biochemical markers and morphofunctional parameters

The aim of the present study was to investigate the cardiovascular morphofunctional and biochemical training adaptations of Criollo breed horses. Thirty-one animals were evaluated, arranged in two groups – untrained horses, used as a control group (n = 17); trained horses, in training for the Freio de Ouro competition (n = 14). The means and standard deviation of echocardiographic, electrocardiographic and biochemical variables were measured and, subsequently, compared between groups of trained and untrained animals using Student’s t test, considering . Trained horses had lower biochemical levels of CK, CKMB and cTnI I when compared to untrained animals. The echocardiographic variables interventricular septum during diastole (IVSd), left ventricular free wall during systole (LVFWs), left ventricular free wall during diastole (LVFWd), left ventricular mass (LVMass), diameter of the aorta (Ao) and diameter of the left atrium (LA) have shown higher values in trained horses compared to untrained. Duration of the T wave was the only electrocardiographic variable that was influenced by training, showing higher values for untrained animals. Therefore, there is influence of training on biochemical variables, in addition to on morphological and functional echocardiographic/electrocardiographic characters in trained Criollo breed horses, characterised by concentric cardiac hypertrophy, when compared to untrained individuals. In addition, a majority of normal sinus heart rhythm was observed in the animals evaluated.