Einthoven's triangle adapted for horses: Proposal for the Delta configuration

Background

Reliable ECGs are crucial for diagnosing arrhythmias, yet a lack of standardization impedes arrhythmia diagnosis and treatment in horses.

Objectives

To objectively determine an optimal position of Einthoven's triangle for ECG recordings in horses at rest, which can form the basis for standardized ECG recording and improve diagnosis and treatment of arrhythmias.

Animals

The study involved 72 healthy, warmblood horses aged between 3 and 20 years.

Methods

In view of future 12-lead studies and vectorcardiography, requiring an orthogonal system, Einthoven's triangle was positioned around the heart, in the transverse plane. Therefore, 11 electrodes were placed encircling the thorax behind the olecranon, to construct triangles with a horizontal base. Electrocardiogram recordings from different triangles were analyzed. Signal processing involved filtering, R peak detection, and median complex generation. Principal component analysis (PCA) and Euclidean distance measures were employed for data analysis.

Results

The left mid-thoracic and ventral regions had high PCA scores, indicating high information content. Base-down triangles exhibited higher summed Euclidean distances, contributing to enhanced diagnostic capabilities. A base-down triangle, called “Delta (Δ) configuration” emerged as most informative, while meeting all criteria.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

The base-down “Delta configuration” is the optimal Einthoven's triangle adapted for horses, providing large amplitudes and potential to provide basic insights into the mechanisms and origins of cardiac arrhythmias. Because the Delta configuration is positioned in the transverse plane, it forms the ideal basis for 12-lead ECG recordings that provide vectorcardiograms in an orthogonal coordinate system. Standardizing electrode positioning could improve ECG data comparability in equine cardiology.