Background Focused cardiac ultrasound (FoCUS) is a simplified, clinician-performed application of echocardiography that is rapidly expanding in use, especially in emergency and critical care medicine. Performed by appropriately trained clinicians, typically not cardiologists, FoCUS ascertains the essential information needed in critical scenarios for time-sensitive clinical decision making. A need exists for quality evidence-based review and clinical recommendations on its use. Methods The World Interactive Network Focused on Critical UltraSound conducted an international, multispecialty, evidence-based, methodologically rigorous consensus process on FoCUS. Thirty-three experts from 16 countries were involved. A systematic multiple-database, double-track literature search (January 1980 to September 2013) was performed. The Grading of Recommendation, Assessment, Development and Evaluation method was used to determine the quality of available evidence and subsequent development of the recommendations. Evidence-based panel judgment and consensus was collected and analyzed by means of the RAND appropriateness method. Results During four conferences (in New Delhi, Milan, Boston, and Barcelona), 108 statements were elaborated and discussed. Face-to-face debates were held in two rounds using the modified Delphi technique. Disagreement occurred for 10 statements. Weak or conditional recommendations were made for two statements and strong or very strong recommendations for 96. These recommendations delineate the nature, applications, technique, potential benefits, clinical integration, education, and certification principles for FoCUS, both for adults and pediatric patients. Conclusions This document presents the results of the first International Conference on FoCUS. For the first time, evidence-based clinical recommendations comprehensively address this branch of point-of-care ultrasound, providing a framework for FoCUS to standardize its application in different clinical settings around the world.

International Evidence-Based Recommendations for Focused Cardiac Ultrasound

Importance Lung ultrasonography (LUS) is a bedside technique useful to diagnose neonatal respiratory problems, but, to our knowledge, no data are available about its use for monitoring lung function or eventually guiding surfactant therapy. Objective To determine the diagnostic accuracy of a neonatal-adapted LUS score to evaluate oxygenation and predict need for surfactant administration. Design, Setting, and Participants Prospective diagnostic accuracy study following STARD (Standards for the Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies) guidelines at a tertiary level academic neonatal intensive care unit in 2014. All neonates admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit with signs of respiratory distress were eligible, and 130 neonates were enrolled. The LUS score was calculated in the first hours of life under continuous positive airway pressure. The transcutaneous partial pressure of oxygen (Ptco2) to fraction of inspired oxygen (Fio2) ratio, alveolar-arterial gradient, oxygenation index, and arterial to alveolar ratio were calculated within 30 minutes from LUS, using transcutaneous blood gas monitoring. Surfactant was administered according to 2013 European guidelines. Main Outcomes and Measures Correlation between LUS score and indices of oxygenation and prediction of surfactant administration. Results Among the 130 neonates in this study, the LUS score was significantly correlated with all indices of oxygenation, independent from gestational age (GA) (Ptco2to Fio2ratio: GA ≥34 weeks: ρ = −0.57; GA Conclusions and Relevance The LUS score is well correlated with oxygenation status in both term and preterm neonates, and it shows good reliability to predict surfactant administration in preterm babies with a GA less than 34 weeks under continuous positive airway pressure.

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/articlepdf/2399512/poi150049.pdf

Lung Ultrasonography Score to Evaluate Oxygenation and Surfactant Need in Neonates Treated With Continuous Positive Airway Pressure

LUS is normally performed in supine patients. Operator should firstly locate the diaphragm and the lungs. Lung consolidation or pleural effusion is found predominantly in dependent and dorsal lung regions and can be easily distinguished from liver or spleen once the diaphragm has been identified. By using the anterior and posterior axillary lines as anatomical landmarks, three areas per hemithorax (anterior, lateral, and posterior) can be iden-tified. Each area is divided in two, superior and inferior. In a given region of interest, lung surface of all adjacent inter-costal spaces must be explored by moving the probe trans-versally.

Ultrasound for "lung monitoring" of ventilated patients.

Over the last decade, the way to monitor hemodynamics at the bedside has evolved considerably in the intensive care unit as well as in the operating room. The most important evolution has been the declining use of the pulmonary artery catheter along with the growing use of echocardiography and of continuous, real-time, minimally or totally non-invasive hemodynamic monitoring techniques. This article, which is the result of an agreement between authors belonging to the Cardiovascular Dynamics Section of the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine, discusses the advantages and limits of using such techniques with an emphasis on their respective place in the hemodynamic management of critically ill patients with hemodynamic instability.

Less invasive hemodynamic monitoring in critically ill patients

To describe current use and diagnostic and therapeutic impacts of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in the intensive care unit (ICU). POCUS is of growing importance in the ICU. Several guidelines recommend its use for procedural guidance and diagnostic assessment. Nevertheless, its current use and clinical impact remain unknown. Prospective multicentric study in 142 ICUs in France, Belgium, and Switzerland. All the POCUS procedures performed during a 24-h period were prospectively analyzed. Data regarding patient condition and the POCUS procedures were collected. Factors associated with diagnostic and therapeutic impacts were identified. Among 1954 patients hospitalized during the study period, 1073 (55 %) POCUS/day were performed in 709 (36 %) patients. POCUS served for diagnostic assessment in 932 (87 %) cases and procedural guidance in 141 (13 %) cases. Transthoracic echocardiography, lung ultrasound, and transcranial Doppler accounted for 51, 17, and 16 % of procedures, respectively. Diagnostic and therapeutic impacts of diagnostic POCUS examinations were 84 and 69 %, respectively. Ultrasound guidance was used in 54 and 15 % of cases for central venous line and arterial catheter placement, respectively. Hemodynamic instability, emergency conditions, transthoracic echocardiography, and ultrasounds performed by certified intensivists themselves were independent factors affecting diagnostic or therapeutic impacts. With regard to guidelines, POCUS utilization for procedural guidance remains insufficient. In contrast, POCUS for diagnostic assessment is of extensive use. Its impact on both diagnosis and treatment of ICU patients seems critical. This study identified factors associated with an improved clinical value of POCUS.

/pdf/point-of-care-ultrasound-in-intensive-care-units-assessment-3kyq4t9f45.pdf

Point-of-care ultrasound in intensive care units: assessment of 1073 procedures in a multicentric, prospective, observational study.

Introduction
In the emergency setting, focused cardiac ultrasound has become a fundamental tool for diagnostic, initial emergency treatment and triage decisions. A new ultra-miniaturized pocket ultrasound device (PUD) may be suited to this specific setting. Therefore, we aimed to compare the diagnostic ability of an ultra-miniaturized ultrasound device (Vscan™, GE Healthcare, Wauwatosa, WI) and of a conventional high-quality echocardiography system (Vivid S5™, GE Healthcare) for a cardiac focused ultrasonography in patients admitted to the emergency department.

/pdf/evaluation-of-a-new-pocket-echoscopic-device-for-focused-knp2pfv02y.pdf

Evaluation of a new pocket echoscopic device for focused cardiac ultrasonography in an emergency setting.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Intravenous (I.V.) lidocaine has analgesic, antihyperalgesic and anti-inflammatory properties and is known to accelerate the return of bowel function after surgery. We evaluated the effects of I.V. lidocaine on pain management and acute rehabilitation protocol after laparoscopic nephrectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 47 patients scheduled to undergo laparoscopic nephrectomy were included in a two-phase observational study where I.V. lidocaine (1.5 mg/kg/h) was introduced, in the second phase, during surgery and for 24 h post-operatively. All patients underwent the same post-operative rehabilitation program. Post-operative pain scores, opioid consumption and extent of hyperalgesia were measured. Time to first flatus and 6 min walking test (6MWT) were recorded. RESULTS Patient demographics were similar in the two phases (n = 22 in each group). Lidocaine significantly reduced morphine consumption (median [25-75% interquartile range]; 8.5 mg[4567891011121314151617] vs. 25 mg[1920212223242526272829303132]; P < 0.0001), post-operative pain scores (P < 0.05) and hyperalgesia extent on post-operative day 1-day 2-day 4 (mean ± standard deviation (SD); 1.5 ± 0.9 vs. 4.3 ± 1.2 cm (P < 0.001), 0.6 ± 0.5 vs. 2.8 ± 1.2 cm (P < 0.001) and 0.13 ± 0.3 vs. 1.2 ± 1 cm (P < 0.001), respectively). Time to first flatus (mean ± SD; 29 ± 7 h vs. 48 ± 15 h; P < 0.001) and 6MWT at day 4 (189 ± 50 m vs. 151 ± 53 m; P < 0.001) were significantly enhanced in patients with i.v. lidocaine. CONCLUSION Intravenous (I.V.) lidocaine could reduce post-operative morphine consumption and improve post-operative pain management and post-operative recovery after laparoscopic nephrectomy. I.V. lidocaine could contribute to better post-operative rehabilitation.

Benefits of intravenous lidocaine on post-operative pain and acute rehabilitation after laparoscopic nephrectomy.

OBJECTIVE: We assessed the performance of the ratio of peripheral arterial oxygen saturation to the inspired fraction of oxygen (SpO2/FiO2) to predict the ratio of partial pressure arterial oxygen to the fraction of inspired oxygen (PaO2/FiO2) among patients admitted to our emergency department (ED) during the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak METHODS: We retrospectively studied patients admitted to an academic-level ED in France who were undergoing a joint measurement of SpO2 and arterial blood gas We compared SpO2 with SaO2 and evaluated performance of the SpO2/FiO2 ratio for the prediction of 300 and 400 mmHg PaO2/FiO2 cut-off values in COVID-19 positive and negative subgroups using receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves RESULTS: During the study period from February to April 2020, a total of 430 arterial samples were analyzed and collected from 395 patients The area under the ROC curves of the SpO2/FiO2 ratio was 0918 (CI 95% 0885-0950) and 0901 (CI 95% 0872-0930) for PaO2/FiO2 thresholds of 300 and 400 mmHg, respectively The positive predictive value (PPV) of an SpO2/FiO2 threshold of 350 for PaO2/FiO2 inferior to 300 mmHg was 088 (CI95% 084-091), whereas the negative predictive value (NPV) of the SpO2/FiO2 threshold of 470 for PaO2/FiO2 inferior to 400 mmHg was 089 (CI95% 075-096) No significant differences were found between the subgroups CONCLUSIONS: The SpO2/FiO2 ratio may be a reliable tool for hypoxemia screening among patients admitted to the ED, particularly during the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak

Assessment of the SpO 2 /FiO 2 ratio as a tool for hypoxemia screening in the emergency department.

OBJECTIVE This observational study aimed to define the learning curve in goal-directed ultrasound (US) after a 2-day training course dedicated to novice emergency residents. MATERIALS AND METHODS After completion of the training program, 180 patients requiring goal-directed US examination were examined by a resident and by an experienced investigator. The main endpoints were the diagnostic agreement between the two operators for 14 clinical questions, the duration of the examinations, the number of nonaddressed questions, and the final diagnosis. All criteria were analyzed according to the experience of the resident every 10 examinations. RESULTS After 30 supervised examinations, residents adequately assessed with a very good or considerable agreement global left ventricular systolic dysfunction [κ=0.92; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.80-1], severe right ventricular dilation (κ=0.73; 95% CI: 0.37-1), inferior vena cava diameter (κ=0.88; 95% CI: 0.71-1), and pericardial effusion (κ=0.85; 95% CI: 0.55-1). In general US, 20 supervised examinations were required to diagnose intraperitoneal effusion (κ=0.81; 95% CI: 0.61-1), cholelithiasis (κ=0.73; 95% CI: 0.36-1), obstructive uropathy (κ=0.85; 95% CI: 0.56-1), bladder distention (κ=1; 95% CI: 1-1), abdominal aortic aneurism (κ=0.9; 95% CI: 0.74-1), alveolar interstitial pattern (κ=0.87; 95% CI: 0.74-0.99), consolidated lung (κ=0.83; 95% CI: 0.68-0.97), or pleural effusion (κ=0.89; 95% CI: 0.77-1). After 30 supervised examinations, the overall diagnostic accuracy was judged excellent between the two investigators, with a significant improvement during the learning curve. CONCLUSION The performance of 30 supervised and goal-oriented examinations appeared adapted to adequately answer clinical questions covered by core applications of emergency US.

Goal-directed ultrasound in emergency medicine: evaluation of a specific training program using an ultrasonic stethoscope.

The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate the correlation between diaphragmatic excursion measured by a right sub-costal ultrasound approach and forced vital capacity in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or myotonic dystrophy (MD). All patients referred for pulmonary function testing underwent ultrasonic measurement of diaphragmatic excursion during quiet breathing, voluntary sniffing (Esniff) and forced breathing (EDEmax). Forty-five patients were included, mainly for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or myotonic dystrophy. There was a significant correlation between EDEmax values and forced vital capacity (FVC) values (r = 0.68 [0.46–0.90], p < 0.0001) and between EDEmax values and percentage of predicted FVC values (r = 0.75 [0.55–0.95], p < 0.0001). At a threshold of EDEmax < 5.5 cm, the sensitivity and specificity of ultrasonic diaphragmatic excursion in predicting FVC ≤ 50% of theoretical values were 100% [66%–100%] and 69% [52%–84%] respectively, without any significant difference between males and females. There was no statistical correlation between maximal inspiratory pressure and Esniff.

Philippe Revel

Papers

Evaluation of a new pocket echoscopic device for focused cardiac ultrasonography in an emergency setting.

Benefits of intravenous lidocaine on post-operative pain and acute rehabilitation after laparoscopic nephrectomy.

Assessment of the SpO 2 /FiO 2 ratio as a tool for hypoxemia screening in the emergency department.

Goal-directed ultrasound in emergency medicine: evaluation of a specific training program using an ultrasonic stethoscope.

Vital Capacity Impairment due to Neuromuscular Disease and its Correlation with Diaphragmatic Ultrasound: A Preliminary Study.