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Updated: May 28, 2026

Measurement of the Hepatic Venous Pressure Gradient and Transjugular Liver Biopsy
Published on: June 18, 2020
Correlation between jugular and central venous pressures in laterally recumbent horses
Karina Tam1, Marlis Rezende, Pedro Boscan
1Department of Clinical Sciences, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Colorado State University, 300 W. Drake Road, Fort Collins, CO 80526, USA.
Objective:
To compare and correlate right atrial pressure, which represents central venous pressure (CVP) to jugular vein pressure (JVP) in laterally recumbent horses under anesthesia.
Study Design:
Retrospective clinical trial.
Animals:
Seven adult healthy horses (411 ± 8.7 kg).
Methods:
Horses were sedated with IV xylazine and anesthesia was obtained with IV ketamine and diazepam. Anesthesia was maintained with sevoflurane in oxygen. All horses were positioned in left lateral recumbency. An 8F catheter introducer was inserted into the right jugular vein to measure JVP. An 8F catheter introducer was inserted into the left jugular vein to be used as the port for a 7F 110 cm catheter that reached the right atrium to measure CVP. Both, CVP and JVP were measured simultaneously with a water calibrated aneroid manometer using the sternum as the 0 cmH(2) O reference point. Measurements were compared using Spearman correlation and the Bland-Altman plot.
Results:
Twenty paired samples were obtained over a period of 2 hours. The CVP ranged from 7 to 31 cmH(2) O, while the JVP ranged from 5 to 30 cmH(2) O. The Spearman correlation coefficient indicated that CVP and JVP had a strong correlation with r = 0.88. The Bland-Altman plot showed a bias of 0.7 cmH(2) O.
Conclusion And Clinical Relevance:
Jugular vein pressure showed a strong correlation with CVP in healthy, euvolemic, laterally recumbent anesthetized adult horses. Thus, JVP cannot replace CVP but it may be used clinically to monitor CVP in laterally recumbent horses.
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