Specific Aims: 1. The investigators will prospectively evaluate and analyze changes in the appearance of the lungs and heart through serial acquisition of focused point-of-care ultrasound images in a cohort of patients with or under investigation for COVID-19. 2. The investigators will correlate changes noted in ultrasound with clinical course and diagnostic evaluation to ascertain whether changes on ultrasound could improve care through earlier diagnosis or identification of patients at high risk of disease progression.
The investigators will perform a descriptive study aimed at identifying the cardiopulmonary ultrasound features in patients with or under investigation for COVID-19. The study will take place at two sites: University of Minnesota Medical Center (UMMC) and Bethesda Hospital. At UMMC, a tertiary care center, clinicians will recruit and evaluate patients with or under investigation for COVID-19. At Bethesda clinicians will recruit and evaluate patients with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 as demonstrated by a positive PT-PCR. POCUS exams will be performed in a cohort of 200-500 patients with or under investigation for COVID-19. Serial ultrasound examinations will be performed every 48-72 hours until discharge, death, or study completion. Participants will undergo POCUS at enrollment by their treating physicians. Inquiry into study enrollment will be performed over the phone rather than in person, given the current scarcity of PPE and the added use that would occur with in-person enrollment.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
129
The POCUS exam of the heart will capture 2 standard views commonly used to assess general cardiac function at the point of care. The details of POCUS views and exam findings of interest are outline below: Pulmonary POCUS Evaluation: 1. B lines: absent (\< 3 lines), present (\> 3 lines), fused 2. Consolidation: yes or no a. Bilateral: yes or no 3. Pleural Effusion: yes or no 4. Other pleural abnormalities: yes or no Score each finding based on degree of abnormalities and number of sites with abnormalities Cardiac POCUS Evaluation: 1. Parasternal long axis 2. Parasternal short axis 1. Qualitative LVEF: Normal, hyperdynamic, mild-moderately depressed, severely depressed 2. EPSS (E-point septal separation): normal (\<10 mm), abnormal (\>10 mm) 3. Left ventricular (LV) mass approximation by septal thickness 4. Left Ventricular Chamber Size by internal diameter at diastole
University of Minnesota Medical Center (UMMC)
Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
M Health Fairview Bethesda Hospital
Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States
POCUS Score - Lungs
POCUS is a 6-point scale evaluating the degree of abnormalities and number of sites with abnormalities in ultrasound images of the lungs. Higher scores indicate greater malady. Pulmonary POCUS Evaluation: 1. B lines: absent (\< 3 lines), present (\> 3 lines), fused 2. Consolidation: yes or no a. Bilateral: yes or no 3. Pleural Effusion: yes or no 4. Other pleural abnormalities: yes or no Score each finding based on degree of abnormalities and number of sites with abnormalities
Time frame: up to 14 days
POCUS Score - Heart
POCUS is a 6-point scale evaluating the degree of abnormalities and number of sites with abnormalities in ultrasound images of the heart. Higher scores indicate greater malady. Cardiac POCUS Evaluation: 1. Parasternal long axis 2. Parasternal short axis 1. Qualitative LVEF: Normal, hyperdynamic, mild-moderately depressed, severely depressed 2. EPSS (E-point septal separation): normal (\<10 mm), abnormal (\>10 mm) 3. Left ventricular (LV) mass approximation by septal thickness 4. Left Ventricular Chamber Size by internal diameter at diastole Score each finding based on degree of abnormalities and number of sites with abnormalities
Time frame: up to 14 days
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