Smartphone-based ECG assessment of heart rhythm at birth in healthy foals born after spontaneous or induced parturition: is there a potential difference?

Background– Subclinical electrophysiological derangements occur at birth in foals. Smartphone-based ECG (spECG) is practical tools to assess heart rhythm and was recently validated in foals. Objectives–To assess the heart rate (HR) and rhythm at birth in clinically healthy foals born after spontaneous and induced parturition using a spECG. Animals– Newborn healthy foals born after at term spontaneous (SF) or induced foaling (IF). Methods– Cohort study. In SF and IF groups, a spECG was performed immediately at birth (T0) and after 5 min (T5). SpECG tracings were selected for quality. HR was manually calculated and was compared between groups and time-points. Tracings were manually interpreted for rhythm diagnosis. Results– Eighty-one spECG tracings owing to 42 healthy foals (36 SF, 6 IF) were of adequate quality. There were no significant differences in HR between SF and IF and between T0 and T5 (p > 0.05). Six foals were diagnosed with atrial fibrillation and 4 with sinus arrhythmia. Conclusions and clinical importance– The spECG was feasible and detected subclinical arrhythmias at birth. A potential relationship with induced foaling warrants confirmation. Provided good quality tracing is obtained, the device might assist in the clinical assessment at birth, especially in screening high-risk foals.