Accurate Estimation of Right-Filling Pressure Using Handheld Ultrasound Score in Patients with Heart Failure

VExUS Protocol Along Cardiorenal Syndrome: An Updated Review

Heart failure (HF) is a major cause of hospitalization, often leading to acute kidney injury (AKI) due to venous congestion. The Venous Excess Ultrasound (VExUS) score, introduced by Beaubin-Souligny, is a bedside tool for assessing congestion severity and guiding decongestive therapy. VExUS has demonstrated prognostic value in predicting AKI, HF readmission, and mortality. Indeed, guiding decongestive therapy through the VExUS score has been shown to significantly improve the likelihood of achieving faster decongestion. Objectives: This review aims to discuss the potential role of VExUS and analyze the recent findings about its relevance in guiding decongestive therapy in patients with acute decompensated HF. Methods: A comprehensive literature review was conducted, which identified journal articles focused on VExUS and manual reviews of relevant peer-reviewed journals. Conclusions: VExUS is a promising tool for evaluating venous congestion in cardiorenal patients, thereby improving fluid and diuretic management. It provides real-time, non-invasive monitoring that enhances clinical decision-making. However, its accuracy depends on operator expertise, and further research is needed to validate its application across different patient populations.

Reply to Brea et al. Comment on "Levitt et al. Approach to Decompensated Right Heart Failure in the Acute Setting. J. Clin. Med. 2024, 13, 869"

We would like to acknowledge and thank the authors of "Defining the Plethoric IVC" [...].

Prospective Evaluation of Venous Excess Ultrasound for Estimation of Venous Congestion

BACKGROUND

Venous excess ultrasound (VExUS) is a novel ultrasound technique previously reported as a noninvasive measure of venous congestion and predictor of cardiorenal acute kidney injury.

RESEARCH QUESTION

Are there associations between VExUS grade and cardiac pressures measured by right heart catheterization (RHC) and cardiac biomarkers and clinical outcomes in patients undergoing RHC?

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

We conducted a prospective cohort study at the Denver Health Medical Center from December 20, 2022, to March 25, 2023. All patients undergoing RHC underwent a blinded VExUS assessment prior to their procedure. Multivariable regressions were conducted to assess relationships between VExUS grade and cardiac pressures, biomarkers, and changes in weight among patients with heart failure, a proxy for diuretic success. Receiver operating characteristic curve and area under the curve (AUC) were derived for VExUS, inferior vena cava (IVC) diameter, and IVC collapsibility index (ICI) to predict right atrial pressure (RAP) > 10 and < 7 mm Hg.

RESULTS

Among 81 patients, 45 of whom were inpatients, after adjusting for age, sex, and Charlson Comorbidity Index, there were significant relationships between VexUS grade of 2 (β = 4.8; 95% CI, 2.6-7.1; P < .01) and 3 (β = 11; 95% CI, 8.9-14; P < .01) and RAP, VExUS grade of 2 (β = 6.8; 95% CI, 0.16-13; P = .045) and 3 (β = 15; 95% CI, 7.3-22; P < .01) and mean pulmonary artery pressure, and VExUS grade of 2 (β = 7.0; 95% CI, 3.9-10; P < .01) and 3 (β = 13; 95% CI, 9.5-17; P < .01) and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure. AUC values for VExUS, IVC diameter, and ICI as predictors of RAP > 10 mm Hg were 0.9 (95% CI, 0.83-0.97), 0.77 (95% CI, 0.68-0.88), and 0.65 (95% CI, 0.52-0.78), respectively. AUC values for VExUS, IVC diameter, and ICI as predictors of RAP < 7 mm Hg were 0.79 (95% CI, 0.70-0.87), 0.74 (95% CI, 0.64-0.84), and 0.62 (95% CI, 0.49-0.76), respectively. In a subset of 23 patients with heart failure undergoing diuresis, there was a significant association between VExUS grade 3 and change in weight between time of RHC and discharge (P = .025).

INTERPRETATION

Although more research is required, VExUS has the potential to increase diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities of physicians at the bedside and increase our understanding of the underappreciated problem of venous congestion.

Evaluation of Right-Side Filling Pressure in Patients With Obesity With Heart Failure Using Handheld Ultrasound Score

The goal of this investigation is to evaluate the accuracy of handheld ultrasound score in assessing right atrial (RA) pressure in patients with obesity with heart failure. We prospectively studied 123 patients with heart failure referred for right-sided cardiac catheterization. Handheld ultrasound was performed before catheterization to evaluate volume status by estimating RA pressure using end-expiratory inferior vena cava (IVC) dimension, IVC respiratory collapsibility, and right internal jugular (RIJ) vein respiratory collapsibility. A 3-point simple score was created using multiple logistic regression. The patients were divided into 2 groups based on body mass index. The performance of this score was assessed using the receiver operating characteristics curve in each subgroup and was compared with the performance of the 2-point score (expiratory IVC dimension, IVC respiratory collapsibility). Median age was 58 years (interquartile range 48 to 65), and 37% were women. The 3-point score including RIJ performed better than did the 2-point score in patients with obesity (area under the curve 0.84 [0.74 to 0.95] vs 0.69 [0.58 to 0.81], p = 0.001). The performance of the scores did not differ in patients without obesity (area under the curve 0.85 [0.74 to 0.95] vs 0.82 [0.71 to 0.93], p = 0.49). In patients with obesity, the 3-point score had a specificity of 100% and sensitivity of 21% (11% to 31%) for elevated RA pressure ≥10 mm Hg. In conclusion, a 3-point score including both RIJ and IVC assessment performed better in patients with obesity with heart failure and highlights the importance of comprehensive evaluation in patients with obesity to achieve an accurate, noninvasive assessment of volume status.

Emerging concepts in heart failure management and treatment: focus on point-of-care ultrasound in cardiogenic shock

Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) plays a strategic role in the diagnostic and therapeutic evaluation of critically ill patients and, especially, in those who are haemodynamically unstable. In this context, POCUS allows a more precise identification of the cause, its differential diagnosis, the eventual coexistence with another entity and, finally, guiding of the therapeutic approach. It implies a portable use of ultrasound in acute settings covering different specified protocols, such as echocardiography, vascular, lung or abdominal ultrasound. This article reviews POCUS application in the emergency department or the intensive care unit, focused on severely compromised patients with cardiogenic shock with an emergent bedside assessment. Considering the high mortality rate of this entity, POCUS provides the intensivist/clinician with an appropriate tool for accurate diagnoses and a timely management plan. The authors propose practical algorithms for the diagnosis of patients using POCUS in these settings. This article is part of the Emerging concepts in heart failure management and treatment Special Issue: https://www.drugsincontext.com/special_issues/emerging-concepts-in-heart-failure-management-and-treatment.