Point of Care Ultrasound to Predict Intensive Care Unit Admission of Patients Presenting With Sepsis to the Emergency Department

The Use of Point of Care Ultrasound to Predict Intensive Care Unit Admission of Patients Presenting With Sepsis to the Emergency Department

The FloPatch device will be applied to 150 septic patients in the emergency department before they receive fluid resuscitation. This study will assess whether initial FloPatch measured volume-responsiveness and volume of fluids used will predict a composite outcome of mortality, intensive care unit admission, or rapid response team activation. The development of fluid unresponsiveness throughout the initial fluid resuscitation will be assessed and its association with the composite outcome will be assessed.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Emergency department patient
• 18+ years old
• Systolic blood pressure less than 100mmHg
• Respiratory rate greater than 22 breaths per minutes
• Temperature greater than 38 degrees Celsius or less than 36 degrees Celsius
• Heart rate greater than 90 beats per minute

Exclusion Criteria:

• Already intubated prior to emergency department arrival
• Ventilator-dependent
• Patients transferred from another hospital
• Pregnancy