TY - JOUR AU - Burnheim, K. AU - Hughes, K. J. AU - Evans, D. L. AU - Raidal, S. L. PY - 2016 DA - 2016/11/28 TI - Reliability of breath by breath spirometry and relative flow-time indices for pulmonary function testing in horses JO - BMC Veterinary Research SP - 268 VL - 12 IS - 1 AB - Respiratory problems are common in horses, and are often diagnosed as a cause of poor athletic performance. Reliable, accurate and sensitive spirometric tests of airway function in resting horses would assist with the diagnosis of limitations to breathing and facilitate investigations of the effects of various treatments on breathing capacity. The evaluation of respiratory function in horses is challenging and suitable procedures are not widely available to equine practitioners. The determination of relative flow or flow-time measures is used in paediatric patients where compliance may limit conventional pulmonary function techniques. The aim of the current study was to characterise absolute and relative indices of respiratory function in healthy horses during eupnoea (tidal breathing) and carbon dioxide (CO2)-induced hyperpnoea (rebreathing) using a modified mask pneumotrachographic technique well suited to equine practice, and to evaluate the reliability of this technique over three consecutive days. Coefficients of variation, intra-class correlations, mean differences and 95% confidence intervals across all days of testing were established for each parameter. SN - 1746-6148 UR - https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-016-0893-3 DO - 10.1186/s12917-016-0893-3 ID - Burnheim2016 ER -