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

Odense University Hospital

Status: Completed

Conditions: Cough; Chest Pain; Dyspnoea

Treatments: Other: Focused Sonography of the heart, lungs and deep veins

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01486394

S-2010074

Details and patient eligibility

About

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.

Enrollment: 315 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

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

Trial design

Primary purpose: Diagnostic

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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315 participants in 2 patient groups

Focused sonography

Experimental group

Description:

Intervention group: After the primary evaluation by a physician in the emergency department, focused sonography of the patients heart, lungs and deep veins in the legs are performed. Hereafter the further examinations and treatment are done according to hospital guidelines.

Treatment:

Other: Focused Sonography of the heart, lungs and deep veins

Usual treatment and diagnostic work-up

No Intervention group

Description:

Control group: After the primary evaluation by a physician in the emergency department. Hereafter the further examinations and treatment are done according to hospital guidelines.