Does point-of-care ultrasonography improve diagnostic accuracy in emergency department patients with undifferentiated hypotension? An international randomized controlled trial from the SHOC-ED investigators

PURPOSE

Point-of-care ultrasonography (POCUS) is an established tool in the management of hypotensive patients in the emergency department (ED). We compared the diagnostic accuracy of a POCUS protocol versus standard assessment without POCUS in patients with undifferentiated hypotension.

METHODS

This was an international, multicenter randomized controlled trial included three EDs in North America and three in South Africa from September 2012 to December 2016. Hypotensive patients were randomized to early POCUS protocol plus standard care (POCUS group) or standard care without POCUS (control group). Initial and secondary diagnoses were recorded at 0 and 60 min. The main outcome was measures of diagnostic accuracy of a POCUS protocol in differentiating between cardiogenic and non-cardiogenic shock. Secondary outcomes were diagnostic performance for shock sub-types, as well as changes in perceived category of shock and overall diagnosis.

RESULTS

Follow-up was completed for 270 of 273 patients. For cardiogenic shock, the POCUS-based diagnostic approach (POCUS) performed similarly to the non-POCUS approach (control) for specificity [95.5% (89.9-98.5) vs.93.8% (87.7-97.5)]; positive likelihood ratio (17.92 vs 14.80); negative likelihood ratio (0.21 vs 0.09) and diagnostic odds ratio (85.6 vs 166.57), with a similar overall diagnostic accuracy between the two approaches [93.7% (88-97.2) vs 93.6% (87.8-97.2)]. Diagnostic performance measures were similar across sub-categories of shock.

CONCLUSION

This is the first randomized controlled trial to compare diagnostic performance of a POCUS protocol to standard care without POCUS in undifferentiated hypotensive ED patients. POCUS performed well diagnostically in undifferentiated hypotensive patients, especially as a rule-in test; however, performance did not differ meaningfully from standard assessment.

An electronic survey of preferred podcast format and content requirements among trainee emergency medicine specialists in four Southern African universities

INTRODUCTION

Global usage of educational Emergency Medicine (EM) podcasts is popular and ever-increasing. This study aims to explore the desired content, format and delivery characteristics of a potential educational, context-specific Southern African EM podcast, by investigating current podcast usages, trends and preferences among Southern African EM registrars of varying seniority.

METHODS

We developed an electronic survey - using a combination of existing literature, context-specific specialist-training guidance, and input from local experts - exploring preferred podcast characteristics among EM registrars from four Southern African universities.

RESULTS

The study's response rate was 75%, with 24 of the 39 respondents being junior registrars. Ninety-four percent (94%) of respondents used EM podcasts as an educational medium: 64% predominantly using podcasts to supplement a personal EM study program. The primary mode of accessing podcasts was via personal mobile devices (84%). Additionally, respondents preferred a shorter podcast duration (5-15 min), favoured multimedia podcasts (56%) and showed an apparent aversion toward recorded faculty lectures (5%). Eighty-two percent (82%) of respondents preferred context-specific podcast content, with popular topics including toxicology (95%), cardiovascular emergencies (79%) and medico-legal matters (74%). Just-in-Time learning proved an unpopular learning strategy in our study population, despite its substantial educational value.

CONCLUSION

Podcast-usage proved to be near-ubiquitous among the studied Southern African EM registrars. Quintessentially, future context-specific podcast design should cater for mobile device-use, shorter duration podcasts, more video content, context-specific topics, and content optimised for both Just-in-Time learning.

[Entropion in newborn lambs]

The Entropion in newborn lambs could be proved so far in 8 sheep-breeds and 7 cross-breeds out of 33 flocks in the Federal Republic of Germany. In our patients the Entropion was found at the lower eyelid only. The owners of the animals often mistake the Entropion for an ophthalmia. An early diagnosis and an early beginning of the therapy keep the expenditure of treatment small and shorten the period of treatment; therefore examination is commendable within a short time after birth. Female lambs get clearly more often affected than male ones (Gynecotropia). In small pure-bred flocks with only one breeding-ram (and also in breeds with a limited population) the percentage of suffering lambs is higher than in large and crossed flocks with several rams and in large populations (except the breed "Heidschnucke"). In agreement with the literature it must be supposed that different genes are responsible for the Entropion. The selection of ill animals and those which are suspected of transmitting the disposition is evidently appropriate to lower the number of attacks of illness within a population considerably. All 47 affected eyes of 32 lambs were treated. Low degrees of Entropion were healed by repeated manual eversion plus application of antibiotic eye-ointment. In middle and high degrees of Entropion the application of Michel-wound-clamps on 23 of 26 eyes was successful; antibiotic eye-ointment was applied here, too; additionally these lambs prophylactically got 2000 I.U. of Tetanus-antitoxin.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)