Bedside Lung Ultrasound in Young Children Presenting to the Emergency Department (ED) With Wheezing

Prospective Observational Study Evaluating the Use of Bedside Lung Ultrasound in Young Children Presenting to the Emergency Department With Wheezing

Young children presenting to the Emergency Department (ED) with wheezing often have prolonged stays in the ED or even get admitted to the hospital. This is a prospective observational study in which the investigators will use bedside 2D ultrasound to evaluate the lung ultrasound findings in children less than 24 months presenting to the ED with wheezing.

The investigators hypothesize that children less than 24 months presenting to the Emergency Department with wheezing will have a range of lung ultrasound findings that will include normal findings, B lines, subpleural consolidations, and pleural effusions. The investigators also hypothesize that the findings will be reproducible between two equally trained providers.

The investigators also hypothesize that lung ultrasound findings patients 0-24 months presenting to the ED with wheezing will correlate with specific clinical outcomes. An exploratory analysis will be performed to look for correlations between lung US findings and acute severity, final diagnosis, presenting symptoms, prematurity, risk factors for atopy, response to treatment and radiologic or viral studies if performed.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Bronchiolitis; Wheezing

Detailed Description

Specific Aim 1: To qualify lung US findings in a convenience sample of young children presenting to the ED with bronchiolitis with review by a second provider to determine the reproducibility of the findings.

reproducibility of the findings.

Hypothesis 1a: Children less than 24 months presenting to the Emergency Department with wheezing will have a range of lung ultrasound findings that will include normal findings, B lines, subpleural consolidations, and pleural effusions.

Hypothesis 1b: Findings will be reproducible between two equally trained providers.

Specific Aim 2: The frequency of B lines, subpleural consolidations, and pleural effusions on lung US in a convenience sample of patients 0-24 months presenting the ED with wheezing will be quantified using continuous variable means and standard deviations. An exploratory analysis will be performed to look for correlations between lung US findings and clinical outcomes including discharge from the ED or admission to the hospital, including the intensive care unit, and length of stay in the ED. A further exploratory analysis will be done to look for correlations between lung ultrasound findings and acute severity, final diagnosis, presenting symptoms, prematurity and risk factors for atopy.

Hypothesis 2a: The presence of B lines, subpleural consolidations, and pleural effusions on lung US in a convenience sample of patients 0-24 months presenting the ED with wheezing will correlate with specific clinical outcomes.

Hypothesis 2b: The presence of B lines, subpleural consolidations, and pleural effusions on lung US in a convenience sample of patients 0-24 months presenting the ED with wheezing will positively correlate with a history of prematurity and negatively correlate with a history consistent with atopy.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 30

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • District of Columbia
    • Washington, District of Columbia, United States, 10010
      • Children's National Medical Center Division of Emergency Medicine

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: No older than 2 years (Child)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Children 0-24 months presenting to a pediatric Emergency Department with wheezing

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age less than or equal to 24 months
• Presenting to the pediatric ED with wheezing

Exclusion Criteria:

• On home oxygen at baseline
• Cyanotic congenital cardiac disease (including: ToF, TAPVR, HLHS, d-TGA, TA, pulm atresia, critical pulm stenosis, but not including VSD, ASD, Coarctation of the Aorta)
• Endotracheal tube or tracheostomy in place and/or receiving mechanical ventilation
• Transferred from an outside hospital

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Children's National Research Institute
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Joanna S Cohen, MD, Children's National Research Institute

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Lichtenstein D, Meziere G, Biderman P, Gepner A, Barre O. The comet-tail artifact. An ultrasound sign of alveolar-interstitial syndrome. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 1997 Nov;156(5):1640-6. doi: 10.1164/ajrccm.156.5.96-07096.
• Copetti R, Cattarossi L, Macagno F, Violino M, Furlan R. Lung ultrasound in respiratory distress syndrome: a useful tool for early diagnosis. Neonatology. 2008;94(1):52-9. doi: 10.1159/000113059. Epub 2008 Jan 15.
• Caiulo VA, Gargani L, Caiulo S, Fisicaro A, Moramarco F, Latini G, Picano E. Lung ultrasound in bronchiolitis: comparison with chest X-ray. Eur J Pediatr. 2011 Nov;170(11):1427-33. doi: 10.1007/s00431-011-1461-2. Epub 2011 Apr 6.
• Volpicelli G, Mussa A, Garofalo G, Cardinale L, Casoli G, Perotto F, Fava C, Frascisco M. Bedside lung ultrasound in the assessment of alveolar-interstitial syndrome. Am J Emerg Med. 2006 Oct;24(6):689-96. doi: 10.1016/j.ajem.2006.02.013.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: October 1, 2012
• Primary Completion (Actual): October 1, 2013
• Study Completion (Actual): October 1, 2013

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: October 13, 2011
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 14, 2011
• First Posted (Estimate): October 17, 2011

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): May 21, 2015
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 19, 2015
• Last Verified: May 1, 2015

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pathologic Processes; Infections; Respiratory Tract Infections; Respiratory Tract Diseases; Lung Diseases; Disease Attributes; Bronchial Diseases; Signs and Symptoms, Respiratory; Lung Diseases, Obstructive; Bronchitis; Emergencies; Bronchiolitis; Respiratory Sounds
• Other Study ID Numbers: Pro00002000