Trial Outcomes & Findings for A Randomized Controlled Trial of Lung Ultrasound Compared to Chest X-ray for Diagnosing Pneumonia in the Emergency Department (NCT NCT01654887)

NCT ID: NCT01654887

Last Updated: 2017-03-10

Results Overview

The percentage of Participants For Whom CXR Was Not Needed (or received only lung US) to Diagnose Pneumonia. The primary objective of this study is to determine if it is possible for lung ultrasound (LUS) to replace chest x-ray (CXR) when evaluating patients with possible pneumonia. Specifically, an overall reduction of CXR when LUS is used first. Null hypothesis is that LUS cannot replace CXR for the diagnosis of pneumonia. Alternate hypothesis is that LUS can replace CXR for pneumonia.

Recruitment status

COMPLETED

Study phase

NA

Target enrollment

191 participants

Primary outcome timeframe

up to 5 hours

Results posted on

2017-03-10

Participant Flow

Participants with suspected pneumonia in an emergency department were recruited from the Pediatric Emergency Department at Mount Sinai Hospital.

Participant milestones

Participant milestones
Measure
Lung Ultrasound
Patients in the investigational arm received a LUS. If there was clinical uncertainty after ultrasound, clinicians had the option to obtain CXR.
Chest X-Ray
Patients in the control arm underwent sequential imaging with CXR followed by LUS.
Overall Study
STARTED
103
88
Overall Study
COMPLETED
103
88
Overall Study
NOT COMPLETED
0
0

Reasons for withdrawal

Withdrawal data not reported

Baseline Characteristics

A Randomized Controlled Trial of Lung Ultrasound Compared to Chest X-ray for Diagnosing Pneumonia in the Emergency Department

Baseline characteristics by cohort

Baseline characteristics by cohort
Measure
Lung Ultrasound
n=103 Participants
Patients in the investigational arm received a LUS. If there was clinical uncertainty after ultrasound, clinicians had the option to obtain CXR.
Chest X-Ray
n=88 Participants
Patients in the control arm underwent sequential imaging with CXR followed by LUS.
Total
n=191 Participants
Total of all reporting groups
Age, Continuous
3 years
n=99 Participants
3 years
n=107 Participants
3 years
n=206 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
51 Participants
n=99 Participants
49 Participants
n=107 Participants
100 Participants
n=206 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
52 Participants
n=99 Participants
39 Participants
n=107 Participants
91 Participants
n=206 Participants
Tachypnea for age
yes
27 participants
n=99 Participants
25 participants
n=107 Participants
52 participants
n=206 Participants
Tachypnea for age
no
76 participants
n=99 Participants
63 participants
n=107 Participants
139 participants
n=206 Participants
Triage Fever >= 38 degrees celsius
yes
48 participants
n=99 Participants
41 participants
n=107 Participants
89 participants
n=206 Participants
Triage Fever >= 38 degrees celsius
no
55 participants
n=99 Participants
47 participants
n=107 Participants
102 participants
n=206 Participants
Cough
yes
101 participants
n=99 Participants
86 participants
n=107 Participants
187 participants
n=206 Participants
Cough
no
2 participants
n=99 Participants
2 participants
n=107 Participants
4 participants
n=206 Participants
Difficulty breathing
yes
56 participants
n=99 Participants
48 participants
n=107 Participants
104 participants
n=206 Participants
Difficulty breathing
no
47 participants
n=99 Participants
40 participants
n=107 Participants
87 participants
n=206 Participants
Chest pain
yes
17 participants
n=99 Participants
10 participants
n=107 Participants
27 participants
n=206 Participants
Chest pain
no
86 participants
n=99 Participants
78 participants
n=107 Participants
164 participants
n=206 Participants
Abdominal pain
yes
12 participants
n=99 Participants
10 participants
n=107 Participants
22 participants
n=206 Participants
Abdominal pain
no
91 participants
n=99 Participants
78 participants
n=107 Participants
169 participants
n=206 Participants
History of fever
yes
87 participants
n=99 Participants
75 participants
n=107 Participants
162 participants
n=206 Participants
History of fever
no
16 participants
n=99 Participants
13 participants
n=107 Participants
29 participants
n=206 Participants

PRIMARY outcome

Timeframe: up to 5 hours

The percentage of Participants For Whom CXR Was Not Needed (or received only lung US) to Diagnose Pneumonia. The primary objective of this study is to determine if it is possible for lung ultrasound (LUS) to replace chest x-ray (CXR) when evaluating patients with possible pneumonia. Specifically, an overall reduction of CXR when LUS is used first. Null hypothesis is that LUS cannot replace CXR for the diagnosis of pneumonia. Alternate hypothesis is that LUS can replace CXR for pneumonia.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Lung Ultrasound
n=103 Participants
Patients in the investigational arm received a LUS. If there was clinical uncertainty after ultrasound, clinicians had the option to obtain CXR.
Chest X-Ray
n=88 Participants
Patients in the control arm underwent sequential imaging with CXR followed by LUS.
Percentage of Participants For Whom CXR Was Not Needed to Diagnose Pneumonia
38.8 percentage of participants
Interval 30.0 to 48.9
0 percentage of participants
Interval 0.0 to 3.6

PRIMARY outcome

Timeframe: week 1-2

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Lung Ultrasound
n=103 Participants
Patients in the investigational arm received a LUS. If there was clinical uncertainty after ultrasound, clinicians had the option to obtain CXR.
Chest X-Ray
n=88 Participants
Patients in the control arm underwent sequential imaging with CXR followed by LUS.
Percentage of Participants Whose Pneumonia Was Missed by LUS or CXR
0.0 percentage of participants
Interval 0.0 to 2.9
0.0 percentage of participants
Interval 0.0 to 3.0

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: week 1-2

Percentage of participants who had unscheduled healthcare visits after the index Emergency Department visit between those subjects who undergo CXR first and those who undergo LUS first.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Lung Ultrasound
n=103 Participants
Patients in the investigational arm received a LUS. If there was clinical uncertainty after ultrasound, clinicians had the option to obtain CXR.
Chest X-Ray
n=88 Participants
Patients in the control arm underwent sequential imaging with CXR followed by LUS.
Comparison of Unscheduled Healthcare Visits
8.7 percentage of participants
Interval 3.3 to 14.1
11.4 percentage of participants
Interval 4.8 to 18.0

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: weeks 1-2

A chart review and follow up phone call made at 1-2 weeks to assess whether or not the subject was started on antibiotics during the index Emergency Department (ED) visit or at a later healthcare visit.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Lung Ultrasound
n=103 Participants
Patients in the investigational arm received a LUS. If there was clinical uncertainty after ultrasound, clinicians had the option to obtain CXR.
Chest X-Ray
n=88 Participants
Patients in the control arm underwent sequential imaging with CXR followed by LUS.
Percentage of Participants With Antibiotic Use
37.9 percentage of participants
Interval 28.5 to 47.2
27.3 percentage of participants
Interval 17.9 to 36.6

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: weeks 1-2

Chart review and follow up phone call made at 1-2 weeks to assess whether or not the subject was admitted during the index ED visit or at a later healthcare visit.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Lung Ultrasound
n=103 Participants
Patients in the investigational arm received a LUS. If there was clinical uncertainty after ultrasound, clinicians had the option to obtain CXR.
Chest X-Ray
n=88 Participants
Patients in the control arm underwent sequential imaging with CXR followed by LUS.
Percentage of Participants Who Had Hospital Admission.
19.4 percentage of participants
Interval 11.8 to 27.0
17.0 percentage of participants
Interval 9.2 to 24.8

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: up to 5 hours

Chart review conducted to assess overall LOS in the ED.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Lung Ultrasound
n=103 Participants
Patients in the investigational arm received a LUS. If there was clinical uncertainty after ultrasound, clinicians had the option to obtain CXR.
Chest X-Ray
n=88 Participants
Patients in the control arm underwent sequential imaging with CXR followed by LUS.
Comparison of the Length of Stay in the ED
153 minutes
Interval 120.0 to 252.0
180 minutes
Interval 139.0 to 241.0

Adverse Events

Lung Ultrasound

Serious events: 0 serious events
Other events: 0 other events
Deaths: 0 deaths

Chest X-Ray

Serious events: 0 serious events
Other events: 0 other events
Deaths: 0 deaths

Serious adverse events

Adverse event data not reported

Other adverse events

Adverse event data not reported

Additional Information

Dr. James Tsung

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Phone: 212-241-6272

Results disclosure agreements

  • Principal investigator is a sponsor employee
  • Publication restrictions are in place