Sonography in an Unselected Population of Acute Admitted Patients With Respiratory Symptoms

Odense University Hospital315 enrolled

Overview

The purpose of this study is to determine whether focused sonography of the heart, lungs and deep veins can increase the number of patients with respiratory symptoms correctly diagnosed in an emergency department.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

DIAGNOSTIC

Masking

SINGLE

Enrollment

315

Conditions

Dyspnoea Chest Pain Cough

Interventions

Focused Sonography of the heart, lungs and deep veinsOTHER

The patient is randomised to either a control group where usual treatment and diagnostic work-up is performed or to an intervention group where usual treatment and diagnostic workup are supplemented by a sonographic examination of the heart, lungs and deep veins are performed within one hour after the primary evaluation. The primary evaluation is defined as the first evaluation of the patient by a physician in the Acute Medical Admission Department.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion criteria: All 4 of the following must be present: 1. The sonographic examination can be performed before or within 1 hour after the primary evaluation 2. Patient is 18 years or older 3. Patient able and willing to give informed consent 4. One ore more of the following symptoms or clinical findings at admission to the emergency department * Respiratory rate \> 20 breaths per minute * Saturation \< 95% * Oxygen therapy initiated * The patient has a principal complaint of dyspnoea * The patient has a principal complaint of coughing * The patient has a principal complaint of chest pain Exclusion Criteria: One of the following: 1. The sonographic examination can not be performed within 1 hour after the primary evaluation 2. The patient is 17 years or younger 3. The patient not able or willing to give informed consent

Locations (1)

Odense University Hospital

Odense, Fyn, Denmark

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

The number of patients with a correct presumptive diagnosis within 4 hours after hospital admission.

The 4-hour presumptive diagnosis are compared to the final diagnosis obtained by audit after the patient has been discharged from the hospital (gold standard).

Time frame: 4 hours after hospital admission

Secondary Outcomes

Number of patients with a correct presumptive diagnosis after primary evaluation in the control group and after sonography in the intervention group.