Executive summary of the consensus document for the training and development of clinical ultrasound in Internal Medicine: Recommendations from the Clinical Ultrasound Working Group of the Spanish Society of Internal Medicine (GTECO-SEMI).

INTRODUCTION: Given the increasing adoption of clinical ultrasound in medicine, it is essential to standardize its application, training, and research. OBJECTIVES AND METHODS: The purpose of this document is to provide consensus recommendations to address questions about the practice and operation of clinical ultrasound units. Nineteen experts and leaders from advanced clinical ultrasound units participated. A modified Delphi consensus method was used. RESULTS: A total of 137 consensus statements, based on evidence and expert opinion, were considered. The statements were distributed across 10 areas, and 99 recommendations achieved consensus. CONCLUSIONS: This consensus defines the most important aspects of clinical ultrasound in the field of Internal Medicine, with the aim of standardizing and promoting this healthcare advancement in its various aspects. The document has been prepared by the Clinical Ultrasound Working Group and endorsed by the Spanish Society of Internal Medicine.

Usefulness of Systemic Venous Ultrasound Protocols in the Prognosis of Heart Failure Patients: Results from a Prospective Multicentric Study.

Mortality and re-admission rates for decompensated acute heart failure (AHF) is increasing overall and risk stratification might be challenging. We sought to evaluate the prognostic role of systemic venous ultrasonography in patients hospitalized for AHF. We prospectively recruited 74 AHF patients with a NT-proBNP level above 500 pg/mL. Then, multi-organ ultrasound assessments (lung, inferior vena cava (IVC), pulsed-wave Doppler (PW-Doppler) of hepatic, portal, intra-renal and femoral veins) were performed at admission, discharge, and follow-up (for 90 days). We also calculated the Venous Excess Ultrasound System (VExUS), a new score of systemic congestion based on IVC dilatation and pulsed-wave Doppler morphology of hepatic, portal and intra-renal veins. An intra-renal monophasic pattern (area under the curve (AUC) 0.923, sensitivity (Sn) 90%, specificity (Sp) 81%, positive predictive value (PPV) 43%, and negative predictive value (NPV) 98%), a portal pulsatility > 50% (AUC 0.749, Sn 80%, Sp 69%, PPV 30%, NPV 96%) and a VExUS score of 3 corresponding to severe congestion (AUC 0.885, Sn 80%, Sp 75%, PPV 33%, and NPV 96%) predicted death during hospitalization. An IVC above 2 cm (AUC 0.758, Sn 93.l% and Sp 58.3) and the presence of an intra-renal monophasic pattern (AUC 0. 834, sensitivity 0.917, specificity 67.4%) in the follow-up visit predicted AHF-related re-admission. Additional scans during hospitalization or the calculation of a VExUS score probably adds unnecessary complexity to the assessment of AHF patients. In conclusion, VExUS score does not contribute to the guidance of therapy or the prediction of complications, compared with the presence of an IVC greater than 2 cm, a venous monophasic intra-renal pattern or a pulsatility > 50% of the portal vein in AHF patients. Early and multidisciplinary follow-up visits remain necessary for the improvement of the prognosis of this highly prevalent disease.

Usefulness of Multi-Organ Point-of-Care Ultrasound as a Complement to the Decision-Making Process in Internal Medicine.

Accumulated data show the utility of diagnostic multi-organ point-of-care ultrasound (PoCUS) in the assessment of patients admitted to an internal medicine ward. We assessed whether multi-organ PoCUS (lung, cardiac, and abdomen) provides relevant diagnostic and/or therapeutic information in patients admitted for any reason to an internal medicine ward. We conducted a prospective, observational, and single-center study, at a secondary hospital. Multi-organ PoCUS was performed during the first 24 h of admission. The sonographer had access to the patients' medical history, physical examination, and basic complementary tests performed in the Emergency Department (laboratory, X-ray, electrocardiogram). We considered a relevant ultrasound finding if it implied a significant diagnostic and/or therapeutic change. In the second semester of 2019, we enrolled 310 patients, 48.7% were male and the mean age was 70.5 years. Relevant ultrasound findings were detected in 86 patients (27.7%) and in 60 (19.3%) triggered a therapeutic change. These findings were associated with an older age (Mantel−Haenszel χ2 = 25.6; p < 0.001) and higher degree of dependency (Mantel−Haenszel χ2 = 5.7; p = 0.017). Multi-organ PoCUS provides relevant diagnostic information, complementing traditional physical examination, and facilitates therapy adjustment, regardless of the cause of admission. Multi-organ PoCUS to be useful need to be systematically integrated into the decision-making process in internal medicine.