Tracheobronchoscopic assessment of exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage in horses.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the interobserver variability of assessment of exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH) during tracheobronchoscopic examination in horses.


METHODS
747 Thoroughbred racehorses. Procedures-850 tracheobronchoscopic examinations were performed within 2 hours of racing for the horses. Examinations were recorded on videotape, and EIPH and its severity were assessed independently by 3 veterinarians. Concordance was determined by calculation of the Cohen weighted kappa statistic and tabulation of scores assigned by each observer.


RESULTS
Weighted kappa statistics ranged from 0.75 to 0.80. In 99.4% of observations, all observers agreed or 2 of 3 agreed and the third differed by < or = 1 grade.


CONCLUSIONS
Results indicated that interobserver reliability of tracheobronchoscopic assessment of EIPH in Thoroughbred racehorses is high when the examination is conducted by experienced veterinarians. Concordance among investigators is sufficient to justify use of this grading system for further studies and clinical descriptions of EIPH.
Hinchcliff
Kenneth W
KW
Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
Jackson
Melissa A
MA
Brown
James A
JA
Dredge
Anthony F
AF
O'Callaghan
Paul A
PA
McCaffrey
John P
JP
Morley
Paul S
PS
Slocombe
Ronald E
RE
Clarke
Andrew F
AF
D000818:Animals; D001999:Bronchoscopy / Q000592:standards / Q000662:veterinary*; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D006736:Horses; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D015588:Observer Variation; D010805:Physical Conditioning, Animal / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012420:Running