Role of point-of-care ultrasound study in early disposition of patients with undifferentiated acute dyspnea in emergency department: a multi-center prospective study

Abstract

Introduction: Sonography is a safe and simple diagnostic modality which can help emergency physicians in their clinical decision makings and improve the patient disposition process in emergency departments. Objective: This prospective multi-center study evaluates the role of bedside ultrasound performed by emergency physicians in accelerating the patient disposition process in cases with acute undifferentiated dyspnea. Methods: 103 patients were randomized to “early ultrasound” and “routine assessment” groups. In early ultrasound group, emergency physicians performed bedside ultrasound scans on heart and lungs as soon as possible after triage and randomization. In routine assessment group, ultrasound was used whenever the emergency physician or other consultant services ordered or performed it. Mean randomization-to-diagnosis time was compared in two studied groups. Results: Mean randomization-to-diagnosis time was 79.33 (± 38.90) min in routine assessment and 42.61 (± 19.20) min in early ultrasound groups, showing a statistically significant difference (p value < 0.01). Conclusion: Using early sonography in assessing the patients with undifferentiated acute dyspnea in emergency department decreases the patient turnover time while increasing the diagnostic accuracy.