Background Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is a tool in increasing use, but there is still a lack of basics for its routine use and evidence of its impact in intensive care. Objective To measure the impact of POCUS on resource utilization, diagnostic accuracy, and clinical management in medical-surgical intensive care units (ICUs). Methods Prospective, controlled study, in two polyvalent ICUs. The patients were randomly assigned to POCUS or control group. Interventions POCUS patients received systematic ultrasound examination of optic nerve, lung/pleura, heart, abdomen, and venous system, performed at the bedside by trained intensivists. Control patients were treated by critical care specialists who do not perform ultrasound in their clinical practice. Results We included 80 patients, 40 per group. There were no significant differences in age, sex, APACHE II score, or admission diagnosis. POCUS group used fewer resources per patient in the first 5 days of hospitalization: chest radiography (2.6 ± 2.0 vs 4.1 ± 3.5, P = 0.01), additional ultrasound evaluations performed by a radiology specialist (0.6 ± 0.7 vs 1.1 ± 0.7, P = 0.002), and computed tomography studies (0.5 ± 0.6 vs 0.9 ± 0.7, P = 0.007). Time to perform any requested ultrasound evaluation after ICU admission was 2.1 ± 1.6 h versus 7.7 ± 6.7 h (P = 0.001). Systematic ultrasound evaluation led to better characterization of ICU admission diagnosis in 14 (35%) patients and change in clinical management in 24 (60%). POCUS group had lower fluid balance at 48 and 96 h after admission (P = 0.01) and spent less time mechanically ventilated (5.1 ± 5.7 days vs 8.8 ± 9.4, P = 0.03). Conclusions Systematic application of POCUS may decrease utilization of conventional diagnostic imaging resources and time of mechanical ventilation, and facilitate meticulous intravenous fluid administration in critically ill patients during the first week of stay in the ICU. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03608202.

Objectives: To evaluate the correlation between ultrasonographic and infrared pupillary assessments in critically ill patients, including neurocritically ill patients.

Objectives To evaluate the ultrasonographic measurement of optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) as a predictor of intracranial hypertension as compared to the invasive measurement of intracranial pressure (ICP). Design Cross-sectional observational study. Setting Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of two tertiary university hospitals in Montevideo, Uruguay. Patients We included 56 adult patients, over 18 years of age, who required sedation, mechanical ventilation, and invasive ICP monitoring as a result of a severe acute neurologic injury (traumatic or non-traumatic) and had a Glascow Coma Score (GCS) equal to or less than 8 on admission to the ICU. Interventions Ultrasonographic measurement of ONSD to detect intracranial hypertension. Measurements and main results In our study, a logistic regression model was performed in which it was observed that the variable ONSD is statistically significant with a p value of 0.00803 (< 0.05). This model estimates and predicts the probability that a patient will have an ICP greater than 20 mmHg. From the analysis of the cut-off points, it is observed that a value of 5.7 mm of ONSD maximizes the sensitivity (92.9%) of the method (a greater number of individuals with ICP > 20 mmHg are correctly identified). Conclusions In sedated neurocritical patients, with structural Acute Brain Injury, the ONSD measurement correlates with the invasive measurement of ICP. It was observed that with ONSD values less than 5.7 mm, the probability of being in the presence of ICP above 20 mmHg is very low, while for ONSD values greater than 5.7 mm, said probability clearly increases.

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