Normal electrocardiographic and echocardiographic (M-mode and two-dimensional) values in Polish Landrace pigs

BACKGROUND: Swine are recognized animal models of human cardiovascular diseases. Normal values of cardiac morphology and function have been published for swine but for smaller number of pigs and not for swine whose weights ranged up 100 kg. In order to improve the value of results of an investigation on cardiac morphology and function in swine when such data are extrapolated to humans, the aim of this study was to document electrocardiographic and echocardiographic measures of cardiac morphology and function in swine. The study comprised 170 single and repeated measurements that were made in 132 healthy domestic swine (Sus domesticus) whose weights ranged between 20-160 kg and were used as controls in three different experiments. All electrocardiographic and echocardiographic measurements in all swine were done under general anaesthesia. RESULTS: Statistically significant correlations were found between body weight and heart rate (HR), the duration of the P-wave, the duration of the QRS interval, the duration of the QT interval, and the corrected QT ratio (QTc). Since body weight was positively correlated with age, statistically significant correlations were also found between age and HR, the duration of the P-wave, the duration of the QRS interval, the duration of the QT interval, and the QTc. We found that the thickness of the left ventricular wall and the internal diameter of the left ventricle increased with age and body weight. We also found positive trends between body weight and ejection fraction and body weight and fractional shortening. We also found a positive relationship between age, body weight, and the ratio of the left ventricular internal diameter to its wall thickness, as well as the relative left atrial size. CONCLUSION: Many electro- and echocardiographic measures of cardiac morphology and function of healthy swine are related to their body weight. When the electro- and echocardiographic measures of domestic swine and humans are compared, the most comparable electrocardiographic values are those that were determined in swine whose body weights are not greater than 70 kg. In contrast, the most comparable echocardiographic measures are those that were determined in swine with a body weight of 40–110 kg.