Comparison of echocardiyography, doppler ultrasonography and manual methods to control pulse in cardiopulmonary arrest patients

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficiency of echocardiography (ECHO), Doppler ultrasonography (USG) and manual methods to control pulse in cardiopulmonary arrest (CPA) patients. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The study was a prospective study conducted between 25.07.2016 and 20.09.2017 at Gaziantep University Emergency Medicine Department Service. The study included 137 CPA patients older than 16 years of age and whom can be performed ECHO, Doppler USG and manual pulse check which can be performed within 10 seconds and at the same time as suggested in the relevant guidelines. ECHO and Doppler USG application was performed by 2 senior physicians who had seen the USG course, received the certificate and practiced at least 50 patients before the study. The doctor who performed ECHO also directed Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). Philips (Affiniti 50G, 2016) USG device for Doppler USG was used while Logiq P6 (GE Healthcare, 2008) was used for ECHO. ECHO, Doppler ultrasonography and by-hand pulse check and monitor findings of the patients were recorded at the first minute, 15th minute and at ending of the CPR. SPSS 18.0 program was used for statistical analysis. FINDINGS: 137 patients were included in the study. 58,4% of the patients were male (n=80) and 41,6% were female (n=57). The average of age was 63.4 ± 16.8 (age range 20-100). 72.3% (n = 99) of the cases were out-of-hospital and 27.7% (n = 38) were in-hospital CPA. 91.2% (n =125) of the cases had CPA due to non-traumatic causes. Twenty-two percent of patients (n = 29) received return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). The mean duration of CPR in all patients was 37.2 ± 13.2 minutes. The mean duration of CPR in ROSC patients was 22.9 ± 17.1 minutes. At first rhythms, 62.7% were found to be asystole, 10.2% were ventricular fibrillation /pulseless ventricular tachycardia (VF / PVT) and 27% were pulseless electrical activity (PEA). ECHO (4,76 ± 2,19, 4,33 ± 2,17, 3,68 ± 2,14, respectively), Doppler USG (9,59 ± 2,37,8, 22 ± 2.86, 7.60 ± 2.83 respectively) and by-hand pulse measurements of first, second and last examinations (10,76 ± 1,03, 9,72 ± 3,01, 9,29 ± 3,36, respectively) were calculated in term of seconds. The false negative rates (28.5%, 12%, 10.3%, respectively) and false positivity rates (0.7%, 2.6%, 0% 9, respectively) of Doppler USG in first, second and last examinations were calculated. CONCLUSION: ECO is more effective in the management of CPR and in the detection of heart rate than manual pulse check and Doppler USG. As well as helping to identify secondary causes of arrest, ECHO is also helpful to reduce pauses in CPR. KEYWORDS: Emergency Service, Cardiopulmonary Arrest, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, Doppler, Ultrasonography, Echocardiography, Pulse Check