scholarly journals Usefulness of Serial Multiorgan Point-of-Care Ultrasound in Acute Heart Failure: Results from a Prospective Observational Cohort

Author(s):  
Marta Torres-Arrese ◽  
Gonzalo García de Casasola-Sánchez ◽  
Manuel Méndez-Bailón ◽  
Esther Montero-Hernández ◽  
Marta Cobo-Marcos ◽  
...  

Background and Objectives: Acute Heart Failure (AHF) is a common disease and a cause of high morbidity and mortality, constituting a major health problem. The main purpose of this study was to determine the impact of multiorgan ultrasound in identifying the pulmonary hypertension (PH) in patients admitted due to AHF, predict the evolution of the disease during hospitalization and identify areas of improvement in the care of patients with AHF. Materials and Methods: Patients were evaluated with a standard exam of lung ultrasound, echocardiography, inferior vena cava (IVC) and femoral, renal, hepatic, portal venous Doppler flow patterns at admission and on the day of discharge. Results: Thirty patients were enrolled during November 2021. The mean age was seventy-nine years (Standard Deviation – SD 13,4). Seven patients (23.3%) had a renal function worsening. Regarding ultrasound findings, venous excess ultrasonography score (VExUS) score was calculated at admission and at discharge, surprisingly remaining unchanged or even worsened in most of them (21 patients, 70.0%). The area under the curve for the Lung Score was 83.9% (p = 0.008), obtaining a cutoff value of 10 that showed a sensitivity of 82.6% and a specificity of 71.4% in the identification of intermediate and high PH. It was possible to monitor significant changes between both exams on the lung score (p <0.001), hepatic vein Doppler (p <0.001), portal vein Doppler (p = 0.030), intra-renal vein Doppler (p = 0.025) and VExUS score (p = 0.023), remaining similar the femoral vein Doppler (p = 0.177) and IVC (p = 0.132). Conclusions: Our study results suggest that performing serial multiorgan Point-of-Care ultrasound can help us to better identify high and intermediate probability of PH patients with AHF. Currently proposed multi-organ, venous Doppler scanning protocols, such as the VExUS score, should be further studied in different populations before expanding its use in AHF patients.

Medicina ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 58 (1) ◽  
pp. 124
Author(s):  
Marta Torres-Arrese ◽  
Gonzalo García de Casasola-Sánchez ◽  
Manuel Méndez-Bailón ◽  
Esther Montero-Hernández ◽  
Marta Cobo-Marcos ◽  
...  

Background and Objectives: Acute heart failure (AHF) is a common disease and a cause of high morbidity and mortality, constituting a major health problem. The main purpose of this study was to determine the impact of multiorgan ultrasound in identifying pulmonary hypertension (PH), a major prognostic factor in patients admitted due to AHF, and assess whether there are significant changes in the venous excess ultrasonography (VE × US) score or femoral vein Doppler at discharge. Materials and Methods: Patients were evaluated with a standard protocol of lung ultrasound, echocardiography, inferior vena cava (IVC) and hepatic, portal, intra-renal and femoral vein Doppler flow patterns at admission and on the day of discharge. Results: Thirty patients were enrolled during November 2021. The mean age was seventy-nine years (Standard Deviation–SD 13.4). Seven patients (23.3%) had a worsening renal function during hospitalization. Regarding ultrasound findings, VE × US score was calculated at admission and at discharge, unexpectedly remaining unchanged or even worsened (21 patients, 70.0%). The area under the curve for the lung score was 83.9% (p = 0.008), obtaining a cutoff value of 10 that showed a sensitivity of 82.6% and a specificity of 71.4% in the identification of intermediate and high PH. It was possible to monitor significant changes between both exams on the lung score (16.5 vs. 9.3; p < 0.001), improvement in the hepatic vein Doppler pattern (2.4 vs. 2.1; p = 0.002), improvement in portal vein Doppler pattern (1.7 vs. 1.4; p = 0.023), without significant changes in the intra-renal vein Doppler pattern (1.70 vs. 1.57; p = 0.293), VE × US score (1.3 vs. 1.1; p = 0.501), femoral vein Doppler pattern (2.4 vs. 2.1; p = 0.161) and IVC collapsibility (2.0 vs. 2.1; p = 0.420). Conclusions: Our study results suggest that performing serial multiorgan Point-of-Care ultrasound can help us to better identify high and intermediate probability of PH patients with AHF. Currently proposed multi-organ, venous Doppler scanning protocols, such as the VE × US score, should be further studied before expanding its use in AHF patients.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 193-196
Author(s):  
Ryan Gallagher ◽  
Michelle Wilson ◽  
Pamela Hite ◽  
Bradley Jackson

Introduction: Infective endocarditis (IE) is a life-threatening condition with significant morbidity and mortality, and can require surgical repair. Case Report: A 36-year-old man presented to the emergency department for worsening dyspnea and chest pain. Point-of-care echocardiography demonstrated a mobile oscillating mass on the aortic valve with poor approximation of the valve leaflets, suggesting aortic valve insufficiency secondary to IE as the cause of acute heart failure. The patient underwent emergent aortic valve replacement within 24 hours. Discussion: While point-of-care echocardiography has been well documented in identifying tricuspid vegetations, aortic valve involvement and subsequent heart failure is less well described. Earlier recognition of aortic valve vegetations and insufficiency can expedite surgical intervention, with decreased complication rates linked to earlier antimicrobial therapy. Conclusion: This case report highlights the ability of point-of-care ultrasound to identify aortic vegetations, allowing for the earlier diagnosis and therapy.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Eduardo R. Argaiz ◽  
Philippe Rola ◽  
Gerardo Gamba

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> Optimal method for noninvasive assessment of venous congestion remains an unresolved issue. Portal vein (PV) and intrarenal venous flow alterations are markers of abdominal venous congestion and have been associated with acute kidney injury (AKI) in cardiac surgery patients. It is currently unknown if portal vein flow (PVF) alterations in heart failure can be reversed with diuretic treatment and track decongestion. <b><i>Objective:</i></b> The aim of this study is to evaluate PVF alterations in patients with ADHF at arrival and after decongestive treatment. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> Assessment of venous congestion using point-of-care ultrasound was performed in 12 patients with ADHF (6 patients with left-sided heart failure and 6 patients with right-sided heart failure). Evaluation included inferior vena cava (IVC) size and collapsibility in addition to PV Doppler to determine pulsatility fraction (PF). <b><i>Results:</i></b> Increased PV PF (81.75 ± 13%) was found on admission. After effective decongestive treatment, it improved to (17.43 ± 2.2%). Improvement in IVC size and collapsibility was seen in most patients with left-sided heart failure and none of the patients with right-sided heart failure. Improvement in PV PF coincided with return to baseline of Serum Cr in patients that presented with AKI. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> Evaluation of abdominal venous congestion by point-of-care ultrasound could aid in diagnosis and follow-up of patients with congestive kidney injury.


2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (Supplement_3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mirela Liana Gliga ◽  
Mihail Gheorghe Gliga ◽  
Cristian Chirila ◽  
Raluca-Maria Lie-Ungurean ◽  
Paula Chirila

Abstract Background and Aims Point of care ultrasound (POCUS) is performed at the bedsite of the patient by de treating clinician. In nephrology a particular situation is related to severly ill patients, immobilized with elevated creatinine, which can not be deffered to imaging investigations such as CT scan or MRI. Using a small portable device, important clinical problems can be solved in no time. Method We examined 360 out of 670 patients admitted to the nephrology departament in a period of one year. They were severely ill due to following pathologies: 35 severe sepsis with hypotension, 53 decompensated heart failure, 24 stroke, 248 with renal failure and acido-basic or electrolitic disturbances. Evaluation was made using a portable US device with a 10 MHz linear probe and 3.5 MHz convexe probe with abdomen and thoracic software. Diameter of inferior vena cava (IVC), respiratory collapse of IVC, effusions in pleura, pericardium or peritoneum, liver dimensions, kidneys and spleen were described. Results 31 out of 35 patients with hypotension had collapsed IVC, diameter less than 1cm, PPV 88.5%; 48 from 53 heart failure had enlarged IVC with reduced respiratory collapse, PPV 90.6% and 201 from 248 renal failure patients had kidney changes, 81.04%. As compared with standard diagnostic tools (echocardiography, native CT scan and clinical examination, Sensitivity was over 98% in all cases. Conclusion POCUS is a very usefull test for the rapid bed-site examination of kidney patients, were a rapid decision has to be made using a portable device. Sensitivity of the method proved to be comparable as with standard diagnostic tools.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew G. Hanson ◽  
Barry Chan

Abstract Background Symptomatic pericardial effusion (PCE) presents with non-specific features and are often missed on the initial physical exam, chest X-ray (CXR), and electrocardiogram (ECG). In extreme cases, misdiagnosis can evolve into decompensated cardiac tamponade, a life-threatening obstructive shock. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) on the diagnosis and therapeutic intervention of clinically significant PCE. Methods In a retrospective chart review, we looked at all patients between 2002 and 2018 at a major Canadian academic hospital who had a pericardiocentesis for clinically significant PCE. We extracted the rate of presenting complaints, physical exam findings, X-ray findings, ECG findings, time-to-diagnosis, and time-to-pericardiocentesis and how these were impacted by POCUS. Results The most common presenting symptom was dyspnea (64%) and the average systolic blood pressure (SBP) was 120 mmHg. 86% of people presenting had an effusion > 1 cm, and 89% were circumferential on departmental echocardiogram (ECHO) with 64% having evidence of right atrial systolic collapse and 58% with early diastolic right ventricular collapse. The average time-to-diagnosis with POCUS was 5.9 h compared to > 12 h with other imaging including departmental ECHO. Those who had the PCE identified by POCUS had an average time-to-pericardiocentesis of 28.1 h compared to > 48 h with other diagnostic modalities. Conclusion POCUS expedites the diagnosis of symptomatic PCE given its non-specific clinical findings which, in turn, may accelerate the time-to-intervention.


2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (Supplement_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
N.R Pugliese ◽  
M Mazzola ◽  
G Bandini ◽  
G Barbieri ◽  
S Spinelli ◽  
...  

Abstract Aims Our aim was to assess the dynamic changes of pulmonary congestion (PC) through variations of sonographic B-lines, in addition to conventional clinical, biohumoral and echocardiographic findings, to improve prognostic stratification of patients admitted for acute heart failure with reduced and preserved ejection fraction (HFrEF, HFpEF). Methods In this multicenter, prospective, observational study, lung ultrasound was performed in all patients at admission and before discharge by trained investigators, blinded to clinical findings and outcomes. Results We enrolled 208 consecutive patients admitted for acute heart failure (125 HFrEF, 83 HFpEF, mean age 75.9±11.7 years, 36% females, mean ejection fraction 38%). After 180-day follow-up, 38 composite endpoint events occurred (cardiovascular deaths or HF re-hospitalisations). In a multivariate model, B-lines at discharge had independent prognostic value in the overall population together with NT-proBNP, moderate-to-severe mitral regurgitation (MR) and inferior vena cava diameter at admission. When dividing the population in HFrEF and HFpEF, B-lines at discharge was the only independent parameter to predict events in all subgroups. At ROC analysis, a cut-off of B-lines&gt;15 at discharge displayed the highest accuracy in predicting adverse events (AUC=0.80, p&lt;0.0001). The identification of patients unable to halve B-lines during hospitalization (ΔB-lines%), in addition to B-lines &gt;15 at discharge, improved event classification (integrated discrimination improvement=4%, p=0.01; continuous net reclassification improvement=22.8%, p=0.04). Conclusions The presence of residual subclinical sonographic PC at discharge predicts adverse events in the whole spectrum of acute HF patients, independently of conventional biohumoral and echocardiographic parameters. The dynamic evaluation of pulmonary decongestion during hospital stay can further improve patient risk stratification. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: None


Circulation ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 142 (Suppl_3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Samson Okello ◽  
Fardous C Abeya

Introduction: The usefulness of serial measurement of BNP to reduce hospitalization or mortality in patients with HIV and heartfailure is unknown. Hypothesis: We sought to describe changes in B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and estimate the effect of HIV on BNP over a week of observation in an acute heart failure cohort of 40 HIV-infected adults (≥18 years) on antiretroviral therapy (ART) and 175 HIV-uninfected hospitalized patients in Uganda. Methods: We measured BNP using i-STAT BNP (Abbott point of care, Princeton, New Jersey) and compared changes by HIV serostatus, and evaluated BNP as a predictor of all-cause mortality at 30 days from hospitalization using multilevel mixed and competitive risk regression models respectively. Results: Overall HIV-infected participants had a higher mean BNP than HIV-uninfected counterparts. After initial declines in BNP in both groups between day 0 and day 3, BNP moderately increased among the HIV-infected on day 7 and continued to decline in the HIV-uninfected group. Each 1 pg/mL increase in baseline BNP from 400 pg/mL increased the risk of all-cause mortality within 30 days by 1% (adjusted standardized hazard ratio (aSHR) 1.01, 95%CI 1.01, 1.01). Other predictors of increased 30-day all-cause mortality included smoking (aSHR 1.99, 95%CI 1.04, 3.84), hypotension (aSHR 1.69, 95%CI 1.26, 2.26) and renal failure stage 3 (aSHR 2.06, 95%CI 1.34, 3.18), and renal failure stage 5 (aSHR 2.02, 95%CI 1.30, 3.13). We found a lower risk of 30-day all-cause mortality of 38% (95%CI 20%, 73%) for those receiving loop diuretics and 74% (95%CI 56%, 99%) for antiplatelet agents. Conclusions: Over a week of observation, HIV-infected people hospitalized with acute heart failure in Uganda have higher BNP levels than HIV-uninfected counterparts. Increases in BNP above the upper bound of the normal predicted heightened risk of all-cause mortality within 30 days of hospitalization.


2012 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-38
Author(s):  
Mohammad Salman ◽  
Syed Allahsan ◽  
Manzoor Mahmood ◽  
Md Khairul Anam ◽  
Shahed Mohammad Anwar ◽  
...  

Acute heart failure is a major health problem responsible for several million hospitalizations worldwide each year. Standard therapy has not changed for long time and includes diuretics and variable use of vasodilators or inotropes. Recently Nesiritide and Levosimendan are two drugs for the treatment of acute heart failure which have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European Medicines Agency (EMEA), respectively. There was little concern that Nesiritide can worsen the renal failure but recent trials had abolished this concern. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/uhj.v7i1.10208 UHJ 2011; 7(1): 35-38


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document