Live Stream of Prehospital Emergency Ultrasound in Patients With Acute Dyspnoea

Background: Acute dyspnoea is a common symptom in prehospital emergency medicine. As ultrasound gained in importance for diagnosis in patients with acute respiratory distress, it plays even a role in the prehospital setting. However, prehospital emergency ultrasound (PEU) remains challenging and requires knowledge and skills. New prehospital ultrasound devices offer the possibility for tele-supervision. The impact of tele-supervision of PEU in patients with acute dyspnoea is unclear.

Objective: This prospective observational study aims to evaluate the effect of PEU with tele-supervision on diagnosis, treatment strategies and cognitive load in comparison to PEU without tele-supervision in patients with acute dyspnoea.

Methods: In total 350 prehospital emergency patients with acute dyspnoea will be included in this study. Patients will be observed in two groups. In group 1 PEU will be performed with tele-supervision, whereas in group 2 PEU will be performed without tele-supervision (tele-supervision not available).

Study Overview

• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Conditions: Echocardiography; Acute Dyspnea
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Prehospital emergency ultrasound with tele-supervision; Other: Prehospital emergency ultrasound without tele-supervision

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Estimated): 350

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Austria
  • Vienna, Austria, 1090
    • Medical University of Vienna, Department of Anaesthesia & General Intensive Care

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

• Sampling Method: Probability Sample

Study Population

350 critically ill patients with acute dyspnoea will be included in this study. In 175 patients ultrasound with tele-supervision and in 175 patients ultrasound without tele-supervision will be performed. Allocation to one of the two groups depends on the availability of tele-supervision. Tele-supervision is available in 50% of the time.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

Patients will be included, if they suffer from acute dyspnoea and at least one of the two following signs of respiratory failure:

• Respiratory rate >20 breaths per minute
• Peripheral oxygen saturation without oxygen supplementation <90%

Exclusion Criteria:

• under the age of 18
• if PEU will lead to a delay of live-saving treatment or transportation
• if patient rejects the PEU, the patient will be excluded

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

2

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort	Intervention / Treatment
Prehospital emergency ultrasound with tele-supervision; Prehospital emergency ultrasound of patients with acute dyspnea will be performed with tele-supervision.	Other: Prehospital emergency ultrasound with tele-supervision; Prehospital emergency ultrasound with tele-supervision in patients with acute dyspnoea
Prehospital emergency ultrasound without tele-supervision; Prehospital emergency ultrasound of patients with acute dyspnea will be performed without tele-supervision.	Other: Prehospital emergency ultrasound without tele-supervision; Prehospital emergency ultrasound without tele-supervision in patients with acute dyspnoea

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Accuracy of prehospital diagnosis after PEU in relation to the (correct) in-hospital diagnosis	The aim of this study is to compare the accuracy of a prehospital emergency ultrasound (PEU) done with or without tele-supervison in patients suffering from acute dyspnoea and evaluate the accuracy of the diagnosis in relation to the (correct) in-hospital diagnosis.	through study completion, an average of 1 year

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Agreement of diagnosis before PEU and after PEU	Is there an agreement between the diagnosis before performing the prehospital emergency ultrasound (PEU) and after performing it.	through study completion, an average of 1 year
Duration of prehospital emergency ultrasound (PEU)	Duration of prehospital emergency ultrasound (PEU)	through study completion, an average of 1 year

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Medical University of Vienna
• Investigators: Study Chair: Department of Anaesthesia & General Intensive Care, Medical University of Vienna

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): July 1, 2021
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 31, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 31, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: March 23, 2021
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 23, 2021
• First Posted (Actual): March 26, 2021

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 20, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 15, 2026
• Last Verified: April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Ultrasound diagnostics; Prehospital emergency medicine
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pathologic Processes; Disease Attributes; Respiratory Tract Diseases; Respiration Disorders; Signs and Symptoms, Respiratory; Emergencies; Dyspnea
• Other Study ID Numbers: 2411/2020

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No