Focused ultrasound examination of the chest on patients admitted with acute signs of respiratory problems: a study protocol for a pragmatic randomised controlled multicentre trial.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Patients with acute respiratory problems poses a diagnostic challenge because similar symptoms can be caused by various pathological conditions. Focused ultrasound examination (f-US) of the heart and lungs has proven to increase the diagnostic accuracy in these patients. In this protocol of a randomised multicentre trial, we study the effect of f-US of the heart and lungs in patients with respiratory problems performed by emergency physicians (EP) as soon as the patient arrives to the emergency department (ED). The primary outcome is the number of patients with a correct presumptive diagnosis at 4 hours from admission.

Methods and analysis

This is a semiblinded randomised prospective study. 288 patients will be included and randomised into the control or interve

SUBMITTER: Riishede M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5073536 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature