NON-CARDIOLOGIST EVALUATION OF LEFT ATRIAL VOLUME INDEXES IN 2-D ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY

Abstract

SESSION TITLE: Imaging Posters SESSION TYPE: Original Investigation Posters PRESENTED ON: October 18-21, 2020 PURPOSE: There has been an emerging role for the utilization of point-of-care 2-dimensional echocardiography for prompt assessment of critical care patients, particularly with those at risk for hemodynamic compromise. In this study, we compare the measurements of left volume atrial indices (LAVI) in patients with acute pulmonary emboli (PE) between a cardiologist who is board certified in echocardiography, two internal medicine residents, and one pulmonary/critical care fellow. This study aims to prove that comparable echocardiography measurements between a non-cardiologist and cardiologist can be obtained. METHODS: A cardiologist board certified in echocardiography provided brief, 10 minute training sessions on the measurement of LAVI to two internal medicine residents and one pulmonary/critical care fellow. Each participant then independently recorded LAVI measurements for 16 patients diagnosed with acute PE at Temple University Hospital between 2017-2018 from the IRB approved Pulmonary Embolism Response Team data set. The LAVI measurements were then compared to a cardiologist for standardization. A paired t-test was used to compare mean measurements. RESULTS: There was a positive correlation of LAVI measurements between the cardiologist as compared to the internal medicine residents and the pulmonary/critical care fellow. CONCLUSIONS: After equivalent training sessions, there is a positive correlation between non-cardiology trained medical trainees and a board-certified in echocardiographer of LAVI measurements. Although both obtained positive correlations, the recordings by the critical care fellow were more accurate than the internal medicine residents and had a stronger positive correlation coefficient to the data compiled by the cardiologist. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: The use of point-of-care transthoracic echocardiography is increasingly becoming utilized across many disciplines of medicine and may aid in the prompt assessment of critically ill patients by non-cardiologists.This study focused specifically on measurements of LAVI which we believe may be a surrogate of worse clinical outcomes in patients with acute PE. DISCLOSURES: No relevant relationships by Dianna Gaballa, source=Web Response No relevant relationships by Ali Noory, source=Web Response No relevant relationships by Maulin Patel, source=Web Response No relevant relationships by Parth Rali, source=Web Response