title: Use of an implantable loop recorder in the investigation of arrhythmias in adult captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes).
abstract: Cardiovascular disease in general, and cardiac arrhythmias specifically, is common in great apes. However, the clinical significance of arrhythmias detected on short-duration electrocardiograms is often unclear. Here we describe the use of an implantable loop recorder to evaluate cardiac rhythms in 4 unanesthetized adult chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), 1 with a history of possible syncope and 3 with the diagnosis of multiform ventricular ectopy (ventricular premature complexes) and cardiomyopathy. The clinical significance of ventricular ectopy was defined further by using the implantable loop recorder. Arrhythmia was ruled out as a cause of collapse in the chimpanzee that presented with possible syncope because the implantable loop recorder demonstrated normal sinus rhythm during a so-called syncopal event. This description is the first report of the use of an implantable loop recorder to diagnose cardiac arrhythmias in an unanesthetized great ape species.
authors.affiliation: Alamogordo Primate Facility, Holloman Air Base, Alamogordo, New Mexico, USA. michael.lammey@crl.com
authors.forename: Michael L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Lammey
authors.forename: Raven
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.forename: John J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Ely
authors.forename: D Rick
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Meg M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Sleeper
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018420:Ape Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000662:veterinary*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000662:veterinary*; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000295:instrumentation*; D002679:Pan troglodytes / Q000502:physiology*; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D013575:Syncope / Q000662:veterinary