Impact of an enhanced focused cardiac ultrasound on treatment changes in a population of internal medicine patients.
J Clin Ultrasound
; 52(2): 219-224, 2024 Feb.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38031392
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Hospitalized patients with acute shortness of breath (SOB) could benefit from an enhanced focused cardiac ultrasound (eFoCUS) with Doppler measurements to reassess treatment and diagnosis.METHODS:
This was a retrospective observational study performed in a medical ward. Included patients were those hospitalized for acute SOB. The objectives were to assess therapeutic and diagnosis changes associated with eFoCUS. The primary endpoint of the analysis was a composite of introduction or discontinuation of diuretics, antibiotics or anticoagulation following eFoCUS.RESULTS:
Between January 2018 and July 2021, 119 patients were included, 67 women and 52 men, mean age 84 ± 11 years old. The eFoCUS was performed within a median time of 55 h (1st-3rd IQ 21-107) following hospital admission. Overall, eFoCUS was associated with a change in diagnostic in 40 patients (34% [CI 95% 25%-43%], p < 10-4 ) and a change in treatment in 53 patients (45% [CI 95% 35%-54%], p < 10-4 ). Diuretics were prescribed in 94 patients before eFoCUS and in 56 after (p = 10-4 ), antibiotics in 34 before and 27 after and anticoagulation in 30 before and 40 after.CONCLUSION:
eFoCUS was associated with both therapeutic and diagnostic changes in patients with SOB. Such results should be confirmed in multicentric prospective studies.Key words
Full text:
1
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Diuretics
/
Internal Medicine
Limits:
Aged
/
Aged80
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Language:
En
Year:
2024
Type:
Article