Measurement of plasma cardiac troponin I concentration by use of a point-of-care analyzer in clinically normal horses and horses with experimentally induced cardiac disease.
OBJECTIVE
To compare cardiac troponin I (cTnI) concentrations determined by use of a point-of-care analyzer with values determined by use of a bench-top immunoassay in plasma samples obtained from clinically normal horses with and without experimentally induced cardiac disease, and to establish a reference range for plasma equine cTnI concentration determined by use of the point-of-care analyzer.


METHODS
83 clinically normal horses, 6 of which were administered monensin to induce cardiac disease.


METHODS
A blood sample was collected from each of the 83 clinically normal horses to provide plasma for analysis by use of the point-of-care analyzer; some of the same samples were also analyzed by use of the immunoassay. All 83 samples were used to establish an analyzer-specific reference range for plasma cTnI concentration in clinically normal horses. In 6 horses, blood samples were also collected at various time points after administration of a single dose of monensin (1.0 to 1.5 mg/kg) via nasogastric intubation; plasma cTnI concentration in those samples was assessed by use of both methods.


RESULTS
The analyzer-specific reference range for plasma cTnI concentration in clinically normal horses was 0.0 to 0.06 ng/mL. Following monensin treatment in 5 horses, increases in plasma cTnI concentration determined by use of the 2 methods were highly correlated (Pearson correlation, 0.83). Peak analyzer-determined plasma cTnI concentrations in monensin-treated horses ranged from 0.08 to 3.68 ng/mL.


CONCLUSIONS
In horses with and without experimentally induced cardiac disease, the point-of-care analyzer and bench-top immunoassay provided similar values of plasma cTnI concentration.
Kraus
Marc S
MS
Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA. msk16@cornell.edu
Jesty
Sophy A
SA
Gelzer
Anna R
AR
Ducharme
Norm G
NG
Mohammed
Hussni O
HO
Mitchell
Lisa M
LM
Soderholm
Leo V
LV
Divers
Thomas J
TJ
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000662:veterinary*; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000097:blood*; D006736:Horses; D007476:Ionophores / Q000633:toxicity; D008297:Male; D008985:Monensin / Q000633:toxicity; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems; D019210:Troponin I / Q000097:blood*
D007476:Ionophores; D019210:Troponin I; D008985:Monensin