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BACKGROUND: Point-of-care cardiovascular left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF) quantification is established, but automatic tablet-based stroke volume (SV) quantification with handheld ultrasound (HAND) devices is unexplored. We evaluated a tablet-based monoplane LVEF and LV volume quantification tool (AutoEF) against a computer-based tool (Tomtec) for LVEF and SV quantification. METHODS: Patients underwent HAND scans, and LVEF and SV were quantified using AutoEF and computer-based software that utilized either apical four-chamber views (Auto Strain-monoplane [AS-mono]) or both apical four-chamber and apical two-chamber views (Auto Strain-biplane [AS-bi]). Correlation and Bland-Altman analysis were used to compare AutoEF with AS-mono and AS-bi. RESULTS: Out of 43 participants, eight were excluded. AutoEF showed a correlation of .83 [.69:.91] with AS-mono for LVEF and .68 [.44:.82] for SV. The correlation with AS-bi was .79 [.62:.89] for LVEF and .66 [.42:.81] for SV. The bias between AutoEF and AS-mono was 4.88% [3.15:6.61] for LVEF and 17.46 mL [12.99:21.92] for SV. The limits of agreement (LOA) were [-5.50:15.26]% for LVEF and [-8.02:42.94] mL for SV. The bias between AutoEF and AS-bi was 6.63% [5.31:7.94] for LVEF and 20.62 mL [16.18:25.05] for SV, with LOA of [-1.20:14.47]% for LVEF and [-4.71:45.94] mL for SV. CONCLUSION: LVEF quantification with AutoEF software was accurate and reliable, but SV quantification showed limitations, indicating non-interchangeability with neither AS-mono nor AS-bi. Further refinement of AutoEF is needed for reliable SV quantification at the point of care.

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Bedside quantification of stroke volume (SV) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is valuable in hemodynamically compromised patients. Miniaturized handheld ultrasound (HAND) devices are now available for clinical use. However, the performance level of HAND devices for quantified cardiac assessment is yet unknown. The aim of this study was to compare the validity of HAND measurements with standard echocardiography (SE) and three-dimensional echocardiography (3DE). Thirty-six patients were scanned with HAND, SE and 3DE. LVEF and SV quantification was done with automated software for the HAND, SE and 3DE dataset. The image quality of HAND and SE was evaluated by scoring segmental endocardial border delineation (2 = good, 1 = poor, 0 = invisible). LVEF and SV of HAND was evaluated against SE and 3DE using correlation and Bland-Altman analysis. The correlation, bias, and limits of agreement (LOA) between HAND and SE were 0.68 [0.46:0.83], 1.60% [- 2.18:5.38], and 8.84% [- 9.79:12.99] for LVEF, and 0.91 [0.84:0.96], 1.32 ml [- 0.36:4.01], 15.54 ml [- 18.70:21.35] for SV, respectively. Correlation, bias, and LOA between HAND and 3DE were 0.55 [0.6:0.74], - 0.56% [- 2.27:1.1], and 9.88% [- 13.29:12.17] for LVEF, and 0.79 [0.62:0.89], 6.78 ml [2.34:11.21], 12.14 ml [- 26.32:39.87] for SV, respectively. The image quality scores were 9.42 ± 2.0 for the apical four chamber views of the HAND dataset and 10.49 ± 1.7 for the SE dataset and (P < 0.001). Clinically acceptable accuracy, precision, and image quality was demonstrated for HAND measurements compared to SE. In comparison to 3DE, HAND showed a clinically acceptable accuracy and precision for LVEF quantification.

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Background: Ultrasound guidance increases first-pass success rates and decreases the number of cannulation attempts and complications during radial artery catheterisation but it is debatable whether short-, long-, or oblique-axis imaging is superior for obtaining access. Three-dimensional (3D) biplanar ultrasound combines both short- and long-axis views with their respective benefits. This study aimed to determine whether biplanar imaging would improve the accuracy of radial artery catheterisation compared with conventional 2D imaging. Methods: This before-and-after trial included adult patients who required radial artery catheterisation for elective cardiothoracic surgery. The participating anaesthesiologists were experienced in 2D and biplanar ultrasound-guided vascular access. The primary endpoint was successful catheterisation in one skin break without withdrawals. Secondary endpoints were the numbers of punctures and withdrawals, scanning and procedure times, needle visibility, perceived mental effort of the operator, and posterior wall puncture or other mechanical complications. Results: From November 2021 until April 2022, 158 patients were included and analysed (2D=75, biplanar=83), with two failures to catheterise in each group. First-pass success without needle redirections was 58.7% in the 2D group and 60.2% in the biplanar group (difference=1.6%; 95% confidence interval [CI], -14.0%-17.1%; P=0.84), and first-pass success within one skin break was 77.3% in the 2D group vs 81.9% in the biplanar group (difference=4.6%; 95% CI, 8.1%-17.3%; P=0.473). None of the secondary endpoints differed significantly. Conclusions: Biplanar ultrasound guidance did not improve success rates nor other performance measures of radial artery catheterisation. The additional visual information acquired with biplanar imaging did not offer any benefit. Clinical trial registration: N9687 (Dutch Trial Register).

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BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Currently, no evidence-based criteria exist for decision making in the post anesthesia care unit (PACU). This could be valuable for the allocation of postoperative patients to the appropriate level of care and beneficial for patient outcomes such as unanticipated intensive care unit (ICU) admissions. The aim is to assess whether the inclusion of intra- and postoperative factors improves the prediction of postoperative patient deterioration and unanticipated ICU admissions. METHODS: A retrospective observational cohort study was performed between January 2013 and December 2017 in a tertiary Dutch hospital. All patients undergoing surgery in the study period were selected. Cardiothoracic surgeries, obstetric surgeries, catheterization lab procedures, electroconvulsive therapy, day care procedures, intravenous line interventions and patients under the age of 18 years were excluded. The primary outcome was unanticipated ICU admission. RESULTS: An unanticipated ICU admission complicated the recovery of 223 (0.9%) patients. These patients had higher hospital mortality rates (13.9% versus 0.2%, p<0.001). Multivariable analysis resulted in predictors of unanticipated ICU admissions consisting of age, body mass index, general anesthesia in combination with epidural anesthesia, preoperative score, diabetes, administration of vasopressors, erythrocytes, duration of surgery and post anesthesia care unit stay, and vital parameters such as heart rate and oxygen saturation. The receiver operating characteristic curve of this model resulted in an area under the curve of 0.86 (95% CI 0.83-0.88). CONCLUSIONS: The prediction of unanticipated ICU admissions from electronic medical record data improved when the intra- and early postoperative factors were combined with preoperative patient factors. This emphasizes the need for clinical decision support tools in post anesthesia care units with regard to postoperative patient allocation.

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PURPOSE: To provide an overview and evaluate the performance of mortality prediction models for patients requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support for refractory cardiocirculatory or respiratory failure. METHODS: A systematic literature search was undertaken to identify studies developing and/or validating multivariable prediction models for all-cause mortality in adults requiring or receiving veno-arterial (V-A) or veno-venous (V-V) ECMO. Estimates of model performance (observed versus expected (O:E) ratio and c-statistic) were summarized using random effects models and sources of heterogeneity were explored by means of meta-regression. Risk of bias was assessed using the Prediction model Risk Of BiAS Tool (PROBAST). RESULTS: Among 4905 articles screened, 96 studies described a total of 58 models and 225 external validations. Out of all 58 models which were specifically developed for ECMO patients, 14 (24%) were ever externally validated. Discriminatory ability of frequently validated models developed for ECMO patients (i.e., SAVE and RESP score) was moderate on average (pooled c-statistics between 0.66 and 0.70), and comparable to general intensive care population-based models (pooled c-statistics varying between 0.66 and 0.69 for the Simplified Acute Physiology Score II (SAPS II), Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) score and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score). Nearly all models tended to underestimate mortality with a pooled O:E > 1. There was a wide variability in reported performance measures of external validations, reflecting a large between-study heterogeneity. Only 1 of the 58 models met the generally accepted Prediction model Risk Of BiAS Tool criteria of good quality. Importantly, all predicted outcomes were conditional on the fact that ECMO support had already been initiated, thereby reducing their applicability for patient selection in clinical practice. CONCLUSIONS: A large number of mortality prediction models have been developed for ECMO patients, yet only a minority has been externally validated. Furthermore, we observed only moderate predictive performance, large heterogeneity between-study populations and model performance, and poor methodological quality overall. Most importantly, current models are unsuitable to provide decision support for selecting individuals in whom initiation of ECMO would be most beneficial, as all models were developed in ECMO patients only and the decision to start ECMO had, therefore, already been made.

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PURPOSE: The corrected carotid flow time (ccFT) is derived from a pulsed-wave Doppler signal at the common carotid artery. Several equations are currently used to calculate ccFT. Its ability to assess the intravascular volume status non-invasively has recently been investigated. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the correlation and trending ability of ccFT with invasive cardiac output (CO) and stroke volume (SV) measurements. METHODS: Eighteen cardiac surgery patients were included in this prospective observational study. ccFT measurements were obtained at three time points: after induction of anesthesia (T1), after a passive leg raise (T2), and post-bypass (T3). Simultaneously, CO and SV were measured by calibrated pulse contour analysis. Three different equations (Bazett, Chambers, and Wodey) were used to calculate ccFT. The correlation and percentage change in time (concordance) between ccFT and CO and between ccFT and SV were evaluated. RESULTS: Mean ccFT values differed significantly for the three equations (p < 0.001). The correlation between ccFT and CO and between ccFT and SV was highest for Bazett's (ρ = 0.43, p < 0.0001) and Wodey's (ρ = 0.33, p < 0.0001) equations, respectively. Concordance between ΔccFT and ΔCO and between ΔccFT and ΔSV was highest for Bazett's (100%) and Wodey's (82%) equations, respectively. Subgroup analysis demonstrated that correlation and concordance between SV and ccFT improved when assessed within limited heart rate (HR) ranges. CONCLUSION: The use of different ccFT equations leads to variable correlation and concordance rates between ccFT and CO/SV measurements. Bazett's equation acceptably tracked CO changes in time, while the trending capability of SV was poor.

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OBJECTIVE: Carotid Doppler ultrasound has been a topic of recent interest, as it may be a promising noninvasive hemodynamic monitoring tool. In this study, the relation between carotid artery blood flow and invasive cardiac output (CO) was evaluated. DESIGN: A prospective, observational study. SETTING: A single-institution, tertiary referral hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Eighteen elective cardiac surgery patients. INTERVENTIONS: CO was measured by calibrated pulse contour analysis. Simultaneously, carotid artery pulsed-wave Doppler measurements were obtained in the operating room in three clinical settings: after induction of anesthesia (T1), after a passive leg raise maneuverer (T2), and at the end of surgery (T3). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Correlation and trending between carotid artery blood flow and invasive CO were evaluated. Furthermore, two Bland-Altman plots were constructed to evaluate the level of agreement between carotid artery-derived CO and invasive CO measurements. Carotid artery blood flow correlated moderately with invasive CO (ρ = 0.67, 95% confidence interval 0.56-0.76, p < 0.05). Concordance between the percentage change of carotid artery blood flow and invasive CO from T1 to T3 was 72%. The level of agreement between carotid artery-derived CO and invasive CO was ±2.29; ±2.57 L/min, with a bias of 0.1; -0.54 L/min, and mean error of 50% and 48%, for the two Bland-Altman analyses, respectively. Intraexamination precision was acceptable. CONCLUSIONS: In cardiac surgery patients, carotid artery blood flow correlated moderately with invasive CO measurements. However, the trending ability of carotid artery blood flow was poor, and carotid artery-derived CO tended not to be interchangeable with invasive CO.

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BACKGROUND: Ecstasy is a popular drug among young adults. It is often thought to be safe. The dose of methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) in a tablet of Ecstasy varies greatly, and there is also a difference in individual response to a dose of MDMA. OBJECTIVES: To increase the awareness of potential mortality in MDMA use. CASE REPORT: We report the case of a patient with a lethal intoxication after pure MDMA intoxication. The serum toxicology screening showed an elevated level of MDMA (1.5 mg/L) but no other amphetamines or other drugs. CONCLUSIONS: The cause of death was a rapidly evolving hyperkalemia due to rhabdomyolysis. There is still a need to educate the public about the dangers of this so-called "safe" party drug.

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PURPOSE OF REVIEW: In this review, we describe the basic principles of arterial waveform analysis (AWA) to assess cardiac output (CO) and cardiac preload. The validity of commercially based hemodynamic monitoring systems is discussed, together with their clinical applications and limitations. RECENT FINDINGS: Currently, three devices (the FloTrac system, PiCCO monitor, and LiDCO system) are available for measurement of AWA-based CO. In addition, dynamic preload parameters such as stroke volume variation (SVV) and pulse pressure variation (PPV) are determined, which may be useful to predict fluid responsiveness in mechanically ventilated patients. SUMMARY: AWA provides a less invasive and easy-to-use alternative for CO measurement. The validity of AWA devices has been verified in a variety of patients and circumstances, but their performance is compromised in the presence of hemodynamic instability, cardiac arrhythmias, or other factors disturbing the arterial pressure waveform. The definitive role of dynamic preload parameters like SVV and PPV is a matter of research. Large trials in which the value of early goal-directed therapy using this technology is studied in relation to outcome are urgently needed.

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