| Summary: | Calcification of the tunica media of the main pulmonary arteries has been observed in a large proportion of young racehorses. In humans, medial calcification is the most important cause of increased arterial stiffness, and has been implicated in the pathogenesis of microvascular diseases. Pulse wave velocity (PWV) is a marker of arterial stiffness. This study aimed to develop a technique for determination of pulse wave velocity of the main pulmonary arteries of horses.
Six healthy adult horses were sedated, and continuously monitored with electrocardiography during the procedure. The pulmonary artery (PA) trunk was cannulated via right heart catheterization, with a catheter introducer sheath (9Fr x 100cm). Introducer placement was guided with echocardiography. A custom-made dual pressure sensor catheter (PSC) (7Fr x 170cm) was inserted through the introducer sheath, and into one of the main branches of the PA. The position of the PSC in one of the main branches of the PA was confirmed with thoracic radiography and pressure measurements were recorded. The time delay of the pulse waves between the two sensors was used to calculate PWV.
The PSC placement was successfully achieved in all horses (6/6), without significant complications, aside from transient arrhythmias. The catheter was more commonly located on the left PA (5/6). The mean (±SD) PWV was 3.0±1.3m/s.
This study demonstrated the feasibility of a technique to determine PA-PWV in standing horses. The technique developed may allow further investigation of the effect of calcification of large pulmonary arteries in the development of microvascular disorders in horses.
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