Point of Care Ultrasound in Geriatric Patients at the Emergency Department

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Point of care ultrasound (POCUS) plays an important role as a crucial tool for the diagnosis of various conditions in emergency and critical ill patients. However, POCUS examination in elderly populations has not been well studied. AIM: This was a retrospective observational study of elderly patients at the Department of Emergency Medicine who had received POCUS examination at a tertiary university hospital, Thailand. METHODS: The study was conducted throughout January 2020–December 2020. Patients’ characteristics and ultrasonography findings were recorded. RESULTS: A total of 191 elderly patients were evaluated. Median patient age was 75.65 years; 56.02% of patients were female. Chief complaints where POCUS scans were applied were respiratory (36.65%) and cardiovascular system-related (21.99%). The most frequent procedures performed were cardiac, lung, and inferior vena cava examinations. Abnormal ultrasound findings were discovered in 133 patients (68.91%). The 66.17% of abnormal ultrasound findings were associated with final diagnosis. The admission rate of elderly patients (56.82%) was highest among patients with positive ultrasound findings associated with final diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: POCUS utilization in elderly patients was useful in aiding emergency physicians amid diagnosis of various diseases, especially life-threatening ones.