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Echocardiography in PICU: when the heart sees what is invisible to the eye

Fatma Rabah1, Khalfan Al-Senaidi1, Ismail Beshlawi1

  • 1Child Health Department, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman.

Jornal De Pediatria
|November 17, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Bedside echocardiography significantly impacts pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) patient management. New findings from echocardiograms led to altered drug therapy and procedures in over 80% of cases, improving patient outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Critical Care Medicine
  • Cardiovascular Imaging
  • Diagnostic Ultrasound

Background:

  • Echocardiography is a vital bedside diagnostic tool in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs).
  • It influences clinical decision-making for critically ill children.
  • This study evaluates its impact in a specific Omani hospital setting.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the impact of echocardiography on the management of critically ill pediatric patients.
  • To assess how bedside echocardiography influences clinical decisions in the PICU.
  • To evaluate the role of echocardiography in improving patient outcomes in a pediatric intensive care setting.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective cohort study design.
  • Inclusion of patients admitted to a five-bed PICU between January 2011 and December 2012.
  • Data sourced from electronic patient records for patients who underwent bedside echocardiography.

Main Results:

  • 101 clinically indicated transthoracic echocardiograms were performed on 424 admitted patients.
  • 81.8% of echocardiograms revealed new findings that significantly impacted management decisions.
  • Management was altered through changes in drug therapy and procedures in the majority of cases.

Conclusions:

  • Echocardiography significantly impacts the management of PICU patients.
  • The positive effects of echocardiography are reflected in patient outcomes.
  • Pediatric intensivists are encouraged to develop bedside echocardiography skills.
Abstract

Keywords:
Cardiologia pediátricaClinical decision makingCuidado intensivo pediátricoEchocardiographyEcocardiografiaPediatric cardiologyPediatric intensive careTomada de decisões clínica

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