Lung ultrasound in the emergency department - a valuable tool in the management of patients presenting with respiratory symptoms during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Typical lung ultrasound (LUS) findings in patients with a COVID-19 infection were reported early on. During the global SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, LUS was propagated as a useful instrument in triage and monitoring. We evaluated LUS as a rapid diagnostic triage tool for the management of patients with suspected COVID-19 in the emergency department (ED). METHODS: The study retrospectively enrolled patients with suspected COVID-19, who were admitted from 1st April to 25th of April 2020 to the ED of a tertiary care center in Germany. During clinical work-up, patients underwent LUS and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing for SARS-CoV-2. The recorded ultrasound findings were analyzed and judged regarding typical signs of viral pneumonia, blinded for clinical information of the patients. The results were compared with PCR test and chest computed tomography (CT). RESULTS: 2236 patients were treated in the ED during the study period. 203 were tested for SARS-CoV-2 using PCR, 135 (66.5%) underwent LUS and 39 (28.9%) of the patients were examined by chest CT scan. 39 (28.9%) of the 135 patients were tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 with PCR. In 52 (38.5%) COVID-19 was suspected from the finding of the LUS, resulting in a sensitivity of 76.9% and a specificity of 77.1% compared with PCR results. The negative predictive value reached 89.2%. The findings of the LUS had - compared to a positive chest CT scan for COVID-19 - a sensitivity of 70.6% and a specificity of 72.7%. CONCLUSIONS: LUS is a rapid and useful triage tool in the work-up of patients with suspected COVID-19 infection during a pandemic scenario. Still, the results of the LUS depend on the physician's experience and skills.

Psychosocial and physical outcome following kidney donation-a retrospective analysis.

Living renal donation is of benefit to the allograft recipient. Careful analysis of the donor outcome is necessary with respect to the medical condition, socioeconomic status, and health-related quality of life. All living kidney donors of the Transplant Center at Heidelberg were included. Renal function and comorbidities were assessed. HRQoL and fatigue symptoms were determined by self-reporting validated test systems [Short-Form 36 (SF-36), Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI-20), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ)]. In total, 430 of 519 living renal donors were eligible to participate: 295 living donors (68.6%) provided informed consent (age at donation 49 ± 11 years) with a median time after donation of 77 (24-484) months. Renal function was lower compared with predonation (66 ± 15 ml/min vs. 88 ± 14 ml/min). Blood pressure remained stable (128 ± 14 mmHg vs. 129 ± 15 mmHg) with an increase of 56 donors receiving antihypertensive treatment (27.1% vs. 19%). The SF-36 physical component summary score was significantly better for both genders compared with the general population; the SF-36 mental component summary score was lower for female donors, caused by a reduced role functioning. Prevalence of fatigue was increased in female donors between the ages of 40 and 59 years. Renal function and blood pressure were as expected from previous studies. Concerning the psychosocial outcome, female donors might be at risk of impairments postdonation. Future evaluations will confirm and specify whether these results are necessary.

[Recommendations for Education in Sonography in Prehospital Emergency Medicine (pPOCUS): Consensus paper of DGINA, DGAI, BAND, BV-ÄLRD, DGU, DIVI and DGIIN]. / Empfehlungen zur Sonografieausbildung in der prähospitalen Notfallmedizin (pPOCUS): Konsensuspapier von DGINA, DGAI, BAND, BV-ÄLRD, DGU, DIVI und DGIIN.

Point-of-care sonography is a precondition in acute and emergency medicine for the diagnosis and initiation of therapy for critically ill and injured patients. While emergency sonography is a mandatory part of the training for clinical acute and emergency medicine, it is not everywhere required for prehospital emergency medicine. Although some medical societies in Germany have already established their own learning concepts for emergency ultrasound, a uniform national training concept for the use of emergency sonography in the out-of-hospital setting is still lacking. Experts of several professional medical societies have therefore joined forces and developed a structured training concept for emergency sonography in the prehospital setting. The consensus paper serves as quality assurance in prehospital emergency sonography.

[Recommendations for Education in Sonography in Prehospital Emergency Medicine (pPOCUS): Consensus paper of DGINA, DGAI, BAND, BV-ÄLRD, DGU, DIVI and DGIIN]. / Empfehlungen zur Sonografieausbildung in der prähospitalen Notfallmedizin (pPOCUS): Konsensuspapier von DGINA, DGAI, BAND, BV-ÄLRD, DGU, DIVI und DGIIN.

Point-of-care sonography is a precondition in acute and emergency medicine for the diagnosis and initiation of therapy for critically ill and injured patients. While emergency sonography is a mandatory part of the training for clinical acute and emergency medicine, it is not everywhere required for prehospital emergency medicine. Although some medical societies in Germany have already established their own learning concepts for emergency ultrasound, a uniform national training concept for the use of emergency sonography in the out-of-hospital setting is still lacking. Experts of several professional medical societies have therefore joined forces and developed a structured training concept for emergency sonography in the prehospital setting. The consensus paper serves as quality assurance in prehospital emergency sonography.

[Pulmonary Sonography in Patients With Suspected COVID-19 - Step-by-Step]. / Lungensonografie bei Patienten mit Verdacht auf COVID-19 ­ Schritt-für-Schritt.

Pulmonary sonography can be a valuable aid in the differential diagnosis of a variety of cardiopulmonary diseases, including patients with COVID-19. Pulmonary sonography is an examination method that is also quickly available at the bedside without additional risks for the patient. When COVID-19 is suspected, lung sonography is a valuable component of initial diagnosis when used systematically, performed hygienically and correctly. However, the findings of pulmonary sonography must be placed in the clinical context; sonography does not replace the gold standard of PCR diagnosis. The article shows how this sonography is performed and which findings in COVID-19 are relevant.