Key result
Ketamine-xylazine shortens QRS duration by ~25 ms compared with physical restraint.
Why the study?
Agoutis have potential as an experimental model, but physiological parameters of arrhythmogenesis under physical and pharmacological containment needed evaluation.
Does pharmacological sedation with ketamine-xylazine or butorphanol alter high-resolution electrocardiogram, vectocardiography, and blood pressure parameters compared to physical restraint in captive agoutis (Dasyprocta prymnolopha)?
Does pharmacological sedation with ketamine-xylazine or butorphanol alter high-resolution electrocardiogram, vectocardiography, and blood pressure parameters compared to physical restraint in captive agoutis (Dasyprocta prymnolopha)?
This preclinical study establishes reference values for high-resolution electrocardiography and vectocardiography in agoutis (Dasyprocta prymnolopha) and demonstrates that sedation with ketamine-xylazine or butorphanol is safe and does not significantly interfere with late potential arrhythmogenic parameters.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Sedation alters QRS duration without affecting late potentials in agoutis; leaves open translation to other species or clinical ECG use.
INTRODUCTION/OBJECTIVES: Agoutis is a medium-sized wild rodent with potential for use as an experimental model. This study aimed to evaluate physiological parameters of arrhythmogenesis in this species, by HR-ECG and VCG techniques, under physical and pharmacological containment (ketamine-xylazine and butorphanol). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eight agouti in which the physiological parameters of arrhythmogenesis were evaluated by HR-ECG and VCG techniques, under physical and pharmacological containment. We evaluated cardiac and pulmonary foci sounds, made femoral pulse inspection, body score analysis, gestational evaluation, echocardiographic examination, blood pressure measurement, and conventional electrocardiography. RESULTS: The non-sedated agoutis exhibited QRS duration of 93.25 ± 9.51, LAS < 40 μV of 28.50 ± 4.65 and RMS of 93.50 ± 29.75. The value of QRS duration decreased in animals treated with ketamine-xylazine and increased in those receiving butorphanol. The non-sedated agoutis exhibited QRS duration of 93.25 ± 9.51, LAS < 40 μV of 28.50 ± 4.65 and RMS of 93.50 ± 29.75. The value of QRS duration decreased in animals treated with ketamine-xylazine and increased in those receiving butorphanol. The sedation protocols did not cause alterations for LAS < 40 μV and RMS. The sQRST value in non-sedated animals was 54.20° ± 43.63 and the administration of ketamine-xylazine increased this index to 102.87° ± 53.57, while butorphanol did not induce alteration. The mean systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial pressures differed between physical and pharmacological restraints. Both pharmacological constraints reduced the blood pressure of the agoutis, analogously and mildly. CONCLUSION: The adoption of sedation protocols using the ketamine-xylazine association and butorphanol did not interfere with HR-ECG values and exhibited minimal VCG data and blood pressure changes.
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Moura et al. (2025) studied Physiological arrhythmogenesis parameters in healthy captive agoutis (Dasyprocta prymnolopha) (n=8). Pharmacological restraint with ketamine-xylazine or butorphanol vs. Physical restraint without sedation (control) was evaluated on Total QRS complex duration (QRS duration, ms) on high-resolution electrocardiogram (HR-ECG) (p=≤0.05). Ketamine-xylazine decreased HR-ECG QRS duration to 68.75 ms and butorphanol increased it to 93.50 ms vs 93.25 ms with physical restraint, without altering LAS <40 μV or RMS.
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