title: Effectiveness of echocardiographic imaging by nurses to identify left ventricular systolic dysfunction in high-risk patients.
abstract: Recognizing left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction is critical. The investigators sought to evaluate whether nurses could be trained to use a hand-carried ultrasound (HCU) device to screen for LV systolic dysfunction in high-risk patients. Sixty-three patients from an outpatient diabetes clinic underwent brief echocardiographic examinations by nurses using HCU devices. Of the 63 patients enrolled in the study, 3 (4.7%) had LV systolic dysfunction. The nurses correctly identified these 3 patients as having LV systolic dysfunction (sensitivity 100%, negative predictive value 100%). The identification of occult LV systolic dysfunction in diabetic patients may allow the initiation of therapies known to improve prognosis.
authors.affiliation: University of Chicago, Department of Medicine, Section of Cardiology, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA.
authors.forename: James N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Kirkpatrick
authors.forename: Vicki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Belka
authors.forename: Kathy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Furlong
authors.forename: Beth
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Balasia
authors.forename: Larry D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Jacobs
authors.forename: Matt
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Corcoran
authors.forename: Allen S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pastoret
authors.forename: Kirk T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Spencer
mesh_terms: D000553:Ambulatory Care; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007087:Illinois; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000451:nursing*