Morphometric evaluation of rabbit heart with b-mode and M-MODE echocardiographic method

Morphometric Evaluation of Rabbit Heart with B-Mode and M-Mode Echocardiographic Method The aim of this thesis study is to evaluate some echocardiographic parameters of rabbits with regard to age, gender and body weight. In this study totally 49 New Zealand white rabbits (25 male, 24 female) which have the same rearing conditions were used. This study was conducted in Antalya Lara Animal Hospital with the approval of the Animal Ethics Committee. The General physical examination and clinical examination was performed for each rabbit prior to echocardiographic examination. Rabbits were sedated with midazolam to perform echocardiographic examination. The echocardiographic examination was performed using a DC 6-Vet®, (Mindray, PRC) ultrasonographic device equipped with a micro-convex 8 Mhz probe. From the right parasternal short-axis view, B-mode (LAd, AOd, LADd/AOd) and two-dimensional guided M-mode (IVSTd, LVIDd, LVPWd, IVSTs, LVIDs, LVPWs, EPSS, % EF, % FS) parameters were measured. Statistical analyses were employed via using "SPSS 19.0" program. In order To investigate whether there were any differences among age groups, one-way analysis of variance was executed. The relationship between body weight and age with echocardiographic parameters were analyzed through 'Pearson's Correlation Test'. In order to verify reliability and validity of the echocardiographic examination techniques that were use in the study, coefficient of variation was computed. When the findings about echocardiographic parameters were analyzed, there is no significant effect of gender on echocardiographic parameters except IVSTd value for three-month-old rabbits. The increase in the parameters of IVSTd, LVIDd, LVPWd, IVSTs, LVIDs, LVPWs, EPSS, LAd, and AOd for three, six, and nine-month-old groups indicated that anatomic enlargement of heart persists. However, it was found out that fractionel shortening percentage (% FS) of the left ventricle and LAd/AOd have no relation with age and weight. It means that there is no significant difference in the fractionel shortening although enlargement of heart persists. Moreover, it was observed that three-month-old rabbits ejection fraction (% EF) of the left ventricle is higher than six and nine-month-old rabbits. This might indicate the necessity of periodical analysis of echocardiographic parameters. In sum, the results of the study are in adequate quality to be used as reference point in prospective scientific research in the field of echocardiography and cardiologic examinations. Keywords: Rabbit, echocardiography, age, weight.