Benefit of early abdominal ultrasonography in non-surgical patients admitted to the emergency department: a pilot study.
OBJECTIVE
Ultrasonography plays a decisive role in emergency patients. The primary aim of this study is to assess whether early emergency ultrasonography alters the length of stay.


METHODS
In a prospective study, patients admitted to the emergency department were divided into two groups. The first group underwent early abdominal ultrasonography (within 24 h after admission), and the second group underwent ultrasonography after more than 24 h. The two groups were compared in terms of length of stay, age, admission diagnosis, and number of further imaging techniques used. A subgroup analysis was carried out for admission diagnosis. One hundred and forty-five patients were included in the study.


RESULTS
In terms of length of stay, no difference was seen between the first group (11.7 ± 11.4 days) and the second group (13.6 ± 11.0 days) (p = 0.1196). In the subgroups "abdominal pain" (p = 0.0333) and "cardiopulmonary disorders" (p = 0.0207), a shorter length of stay was associated with early ultrasonography, while in the subgroup "infectious disease/fever," the early ultrasonography group was associated with a prolonged length of stay (p = 0.0211).


CONCLUSIONS
Early ultrasonography in our setting of emergency patients with a variety of different admission diagnoses did not shorten the length of stay, but the subgroups of patients with "abdominal pain" and "cardiopulmonary disorders" might have benefited from early ultrasonography.
Department of Internal Medicine I, Center for Internal Medicine, University Hospital Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 23, 89081, Ulm, Germany.
David Arkadij
DA
Albrecht
Helfensteinklinik Geislingen, Medical Clinic, Eybstr. 16, 73312, Geislingen, Germany.
Andreas
A
Schuler
Department of Internal Medicine I, Center for Internal Medicine, University Hospital Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 23, 89081, Ulm, Germany. Wolfgang.Kratzer@uniklinik-ulm.de.
Wolfgang
W
Kratzer
Department of Internal Medicine I, Center for Internal Medicine, University Hospital Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 23, 89081, Ulm, Germany.
Jovana Louisa
JL
Vogt
Department of Internal Medicine I, Center for Internal Medicine, University Hospital Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 23, 89081, Ulm, Germany.
Mark Martin
MM
Haenle
Louis Stokes Cleveland Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Brecksville Division, Brecksville, OH, 44141, USA.
Richard Andrew
RA
Mason
Department of Internal Medicine I, Center for Internal Medicine, University Hospital Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 23, 89081, Ulm, Germany.
Richard
R
Lorenz
Department of Internal Medicine I, Center for Internal Medicine, University Hospital Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 23, 89081, Ulm, Germany.
Jochen
J
Klaus
Admitting department, hospital; Diagnostic imaging; Emergency medicine; Emergency service, hospital; Length of stay; Ultrasonography