Bedside ultrasound to shorten hospital stays for people with heart failure
Use of Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) to Guide Fluid Management and Reduce Hospital Length of Stay in Patients With Decompensated Heart Failure
This trial will test whether bedside ultrasound-guided care shortens hospital stays for adults hospitalized with decompensated heart failure.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 66 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Florida International University Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Miami, Florida) |
| Trial ID | NCT06965712 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This randomized interventional study assigns hospitalized adults with decompensated heart failure to POCUS-guided management or to standard clinical care. Participants in the POCUS arm will receive bedside lung and IVC ultrasound within 24 hours of admission and again before discharge, while the control arm receives usual assessments without POCUS. The primary outcome is hospital length of stay, with secondary outcomes including 30-day readmission and changes to diuretic therapy. About 66 patients will be enrolled at Jackson Memorial Hospital and clinical data will be collected and compared between groups.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Adults aged 18 and older admitted to Jackson Memorial Hospital with a primary diagnosis of decompensated heart failure and evidence of volume overload who can provide informed consent and undergo bedside ultrasound.
Not a fit: Patients with a life expectancy under 30 days, those unable to obtain usable ultrasound images, pregnant or breastfeeding people, or those enrolled in conflicting interventional trials are unlikely to benefit from this protocol.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, using bedside ultrasound could shorten hospital stays and improve fluid-management decisions for patients with heart failure.
How similar studies have performed: Smaller studies and observational reports have shown that POCUS can change clinical management and in some cases reduce length of stay, but larger randomized trials are limited and findings are mixed.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: Adults aged 18 years and older. Hospitalized with a primary diagnosis of decompensated heart failure (left, right, or biventricular). Evidence of volume overload or congestion based on Framingham criteria, clinical examination, elevated proBNP (\>1000 pg/mL), or chest X-ray showing pulmonary edema. Ability to undergo bedside ultrasound evaluation (POCUS) as clinically feasible. Able to provide informed consent. Exclusion Criteria: Age under 18 years. Pregnant or breastfeeding women. Terminal illness with life expectancy \< 30 days. Inability to obtain ultrasound images due to body habitus or other technical reasons. Enrollment in another interventional clinical trial that could interfere with the outcomes of this study.
Where this trial is running
Miami, Florida
- Jackson Memorial Hospital — Miami, Florida, United States (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Guillermo Izquierdo Pretel, Md — Florida International University
- Study coordinator: Guillermo Izquierdo Pretel, Md
- Email: gizquier@fiu.edu
- Phone: 13058128099
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.