Emergency department point-of-care ultrasound in out-of-hospital and in-ED cardiac arrest

Resuscitation ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 109 ◽  
pp. 33-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Romolo Gaspari ◽  
Anthony Weekes ◽  
Srikar Adhikari ◽  
Vicki E. Noble ◽  
Jason T. Nomura ◽  
...  
CJEM ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 739-743 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole Beckett ◽  
Paul Atkinson ◽  
Jacqueline Fraser ◽  
Ankona Banerjee ◽  
James French ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTObjectivesPoint-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is used increasingly during resuscitation. The aim of this study was to assess whether combining POCUS and electrocardiogram (ECG) rhythm findings better predicts outcomes during cardiopulmonary resuscitation in the emergency department (ED).MethodsWe completed a health records review on ED cardiac arrest patients who underwent POCUS. Primary outcome measurements included return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), survival to hospital admission, and survival to hospital discharge.ResultsPOCUS was performed on 180 patients; 45 patients (25.0%; 19.2%–31.8%) demonstrated cardiac activity on initial ECG, and 21 (11.7%; 7.7%–17.2%) had cardiac activity on initial POCUS; 47 patients (26.1%; 20.2%–33.0%) achieved ROSC, 18 (10.0%; 6.3%–15.3%) survived to admission, and 3 (1.7%; 0.3%–5.0%) survived to hospital discharge. As a predictor of failure to achieve ROSC, ECG had a sensitivity of 82.7% (95% CI 75.2%–88.7%) and a specificity of 46.8% (32.1%–61.9%). Overall, POCUS had a higher sensitivity of 96.2% (91.4%–98.8%) but a similar specificity of 34.0% (20.9%–49.3%). In patients with ECG-asystole, POCUS had a sensitivity of 98.18% (93.59%–99.78%) and a specificity of 16.00% (4.54%–36.08%). In patients with pulseless electrical activity, POCUS had a sensitivity of 86.96% (66.41%–97.22%) and a specificity of 54.55% (32.21%–75.61%). Similar patterns were seen for survival to admission and discharge. Only 0.8% (0.0–4.7%) of patients with ECG-asystole and standstill on POCUS survived to hospital discharge.ConclusionThe absence of cardiac activity on POCUS, or on both ECG and POCUS together, better predicts negative outcomes in cardiac arrest than ECG alone. No test reliably predicted survival.


Circulation ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 132 (suppl_3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shoeb Ahsan ◽  
Robert Arntfield

Background: With outcomes from cardiac arrest remaining generally poor, there is an urgency to evaluate interventions that allow physicians to manage cardiac arrest more effectively. Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) can be used at the point of care in a goal-directed manner and can rapidly provide a flurry of data on cardiac structure and function. TEE in the arrested patient is unobtrusive to resuscitation and can provide vital information regarding the potential etiology of arrest, guidance of certain procedures and prognosis. As such, some centers, including our own, have adopted increasingly routine use of TEE in this context. Given the paucity of data in this area, we sought to examine the influence of point-of-care TEE conducted by emergency physicians or intensivists at our institution for patients in or immediately after cardiac arrest. Methods: Goal-directed TEE in the emergency department (ED) or intensive care units (ICU) and their reports were archived in a dedicated point-of-care ultrasound imaging database. We conducted a search of all TEE examinations archived between December 2012 and April 2015 in the peri-arrest period (in or immediately after cardiac arrest). The details from reports were abstracted. TEE-directed management changes were noted when recommendation(s) regarding initiation/escalation of inotropes, fluid administration, termination of resuscitation or surgical procedure were featured in the TEE report. Results: A total of 57 peri-arrest TEE exams were identified (21 in ICUs and 36 in EDs). Goal-directed TEE changed management in 61.4% of cases. TEE facilitated the escalation/initiation of inotropes (35.3%), decision to terminate resuscitation (32.4%), guided fluid management (23.5%) and surgical procedures (8.8%). TEE studies altered management in 66.7% of cases in the Intensive Care Unit and in 58.3% of cases in the Emergency Department. Conclusions: Goal-directed TEE performed by emergency physicians or intensivists has an impact on management on patients in the peri-arrest setting the majority of the time. Given the lack of reliable diagnostic and therapeutic options in arresting patients, a larger study examining the influence of goal-directed TEE on patient outcomes in cardiac arrest should be carried out.


CJEM ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (S1) ◽  
pp. S57-S58
Author(s):  
P. Atkinson ◽  
N. Beckett ◽  
D. Lewis ◽  
J. Fraser ◽  
A. Banerjee ◽  
...  

Introduction: The decision as to whether to end resuscitation for pre-hospital cardiac arrest (CA) patients in the field or in the emergency department (ED) is commonly made based upon standard criteria. We studied the reliability of several easily determined criteria as predictors of resuscitation outcomes in a population of adults in CA transported to the ED. Methods: A retrospective database and chart analysis was completed for patients arriving to a tertiary ED in cardiac arrest, between 2010 and 2014. Patients were excluded if aged under 19. Multiple data were abstracted from charts using a standardized form. Regression analysis was used to compare criteria that predicted return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) and survival to hospital admission (SHA). Results: 264 patients met the study inclusion criteria. Logistic regression was used to identify predictors of ROSC and SHA. The criteria that emerged as significant predictors for ROSC included; longer ED resuscitation time (Odds ratio 1.11 (1.06- 1.18)), witnessed arrest (Odds ratio 9.43 (2.58- 53.0)) and having an initial cardiac rhythm of Pulseless Electrical Activity (Odds Ratio 3.23 (1.07-9.811)) over Asystole. Receiving point of care ultrasound (PoCUS; Odds ratio 0.22 (0.07-0.69)); and having an initial cardiac rhythm of Pulseless Electrical Activity (Odds Ratio 4.10 (1.43-11.88)) were the significant predictors for SHA. Longer times for ED resuscitation was close to reaching significance for predicting SHA Conclusion: Our results suggest that both fixed and adaptable factors, including increasing resuscitation time, and PoCUS use in the ED were important independent predictors of successful resuscitation. Several commonly used criteria were unreliable predictors.


CJEM ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 18 (S1) ◽  
pp. S70-S70
Author(s):  
N. Beckett ◽  
P.R. Atkinson ◽  
J. Fraser ◽  
J. French ◽  
D. Lewis

Introduction: The use of cardiac point of care ultrasound (PoCUS) to assess cardiac arrest patients is widespread, although not mandated by advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) guidelines. This study aims to examine if the use of ultrasound, along with the findings on ultrasound are associated with a difference in outcomes of cardiac arrest patients in the emergency department (ED). Methods: A retrospective database and chart analysis was completed for patients arriving to a tertiary ED in asystole or PEA cardiac arrest, between 2010 and 2014. Patients were excluded if aged under 19, or with a previous DNR order. Patients were grouped based on whether PoCUS was used during ACLS (PoCUS group) and those without PoCUS (control group). Multiple data were abstracted from charts using a standardized form. Data was analyzed for the return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), survival to hospital admission (SHA), and survival to hospital discharge (SHD), as well as initial cardiac activity findings on PoCUS. Results: 230 patients met the study inclusion criteria, with 44 (19%) in the control group, and 186 (81%) in the PoCUS group. In the PoCUS group 20 (11%) had cardiac activity (Positive PoCUS) and 166 (89%) had no cardiac activity recorded. The control group had a higher rate of SHA than the PoCUS group (27%; 95% CI 15-43% vs. 10%: 6-15%, p = 0.0046), however there was no difference in frequency of ROSC (control: 37%; 24-55% vs. PoCUS 26%; 20-33%, p = 0.1373) or SHD (control: 7%, 95% CI 1-19%; PoCUS: 2%, 95% CI 0-5%, p = 0.0858). Positive PoCUS patients had a higher frequency of ROSC (75%; 50-91% vs. 20%; 15-27%, p < 0.001) and SHA (25%; 9-49% vs. 8%; 4-13%, p = 0.0294) than patients with no PoCUS cardiac activity, however there was no difference in the rate of SHD between the positive PoCUS patients (0%; 0-17%) and patients with no PoCUS cardiac activity (2%; 0-5%, p = 1.0000). Conclusion: Our results suggest that there is no difference in survival between cardiac arrest patients receiving PoCUS and those who do not. Although finding positive cardiac activity on PoCUS is associated with greater ROSC and survival to hospital admission, it does not identify patients with a final outcome of survival to hospital discharge.


CJEM ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 18 (S1) ◽  
pp. S45-S45
Author(s):  
N. Beckett ◽  
P.R. Atkinson ◽  
J. Fraser ◽  
J. French ◽  
D. Lewis

Introduction: The use of cardiac point of care ultrasound (PoCUS) to assess cardiac arrest patients is widespread, although not mandated by advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) guidelines. This study aims to examine if the use of ultrasound is associated with a difference in the length of resuscitation and the frequency of interventions during ACLS in the emergency department (ED). Methods: A retrospective database and chart analysis was completed for patients arriving to a tertiary ED in cardiac arrest, between 2010 and 2014. Patients were excluded if aged under 19, or with a previous DNR order. Patients were grouped based on whether PoCUS was used during ACLS (PoCUS group) and those without PoCUS (control group). Multiple data were abstracted from charts using a standardized form. Data was analyzed for the length of resuscitation, frequency of common ACLS interventions such as endotracheal intubation, administration of epinephrine, and defibrillation, as well as initial cardiac activity findings on PoCUS. Results: 263 patients met the study inclusion criteria, with 51 (19%) in the control group, and 212 (81%) in the PoCUS group. In the PoCUS group 23 (11%) had cardiac activity (Positive PoCUS) and 189 (89%) had no cardiac activity recorded. Positive PoCUS patients had longer mean resuscitation times (26.13 min, 95% CI 17.80-34.46 min) compared to patients with no PoCUS cardiac activity (12.63 min, 95% CI 11.07-14.19 min, p < 0.05) as well as to the control group (14.20 min, 95% CI 10.30-18.09 min, p < 0.05). Positive PoCUS patients were more likely to receive endotracheal intubation (91%, 95% CI 72-99%), and epinephrine (100%, 95% CI 85-100%) than patients with no PoCUS cardiac activity (ET: 47%, 95% CI 40-54%, p < 0.0001; Epi: 81%, 95% CI 75-86%, p < 0.0172) and than the control group (ET: 65%, 95% CI 50-78%, p < 0.0227; Epi: 80%, 95% CI 67-90%, p < 0.0258). There was no difference in numbers receiving defibrillation between groups. Conclusion: Our results suggest emergency physicians may be making increased resuscitative effort for patients with positive cardiac activity findings on PoCUS compared to those with negative findings or when no PoCUS was performed.


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