NCT06965712

Use of Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) to Reduce Hospital Length of Stay in Patients With Heart Failure ( POCUSHF )

Use of Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) to Guide Fluid Management and Reduce Hospital Length of Stay in Patients With Decompensated Heart Failure

• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 66 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Florida International University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

This study will evaluate whether using bedside ultrasound (also called Point-of-Care Ultrasound or POCUS) can help improve the care of hospitalized patients with decompensated heart failure. Patients will be randomly assigned to two groups: one group will receive ultrasound-guided assessments, and the other group will receive standard clinical evaluations. Researchers will compare the hospital length of stay between the two groups. Ultrasound is a non-invasive, safe, and painless imaging tool. The goal of the study is to find out if ultrasound guidance can lead to shorter hospitalizations and better care for patients with heart failure.

Detailed description

This clinical trial aims to determine whether the use of bedside ultrasound (also called Point-of-Care Ultrasound, or POCUS) can improve the management of patients hospitalized with decompensated heart failure. Traditional methods for assessing heart failure patients rely heavily on physical examination and imaging tests such as chest X-rays, which may not always accurately reflect a patient's volume status. POCUS provides real-time information at the bedside, allowing clinicians to assess lung congestion and venous volume status quickly and non-invasively. Participants in this study will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. The intervention group will undergo POCUS assessments of the lungs and inferior vena cava (IVC) twice during their hospitalization: once within 24 hours of admission and once before discharge. The control group will receive standard clinical care without ultrasound guidance. All participants' clinical information, including length of hospital stay, treatments administered, and 30-day readmission status, will be collected and analyzed. The primary objective is to determine whether POCUS-guided management leads to a reduction in hospital length of stay. Secondary objectives include evaluating whether ultrasound guidance affects 30-day readmission rates and diuretic therapy adjustments. The study is expected to enroll approximately 66 patients. This research may help establish whether POCUS can be incorporated into standard care practices for hospitalized heart failure patients, potentially leading to better outcomes and more efficient use of hospital resources.

Conditions

• Heart Failure
• Decompensated Heart Failure
• Hospital Length of Stay

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DEVICE	Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS)	Participants assigned to this group will receive Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) evaluations of the lungs and inferior vena cava (IVC) during their hospital stay. The ultrasound will be performed twice: once within 24 hours of hospital admission and once prior to hospital discharge. The POCUS findings will be used to guide clinical management decisions regarding fluid status and decongestion therapy in patients with decompensated heart failure. The procedure is non-invasive, radiation-free, and performed at the bedside.

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-11-24
• Primary completion: 2026-05-31
• Completion: 2026-06-30
• First posted: 2025-05-11
• Last updated: 2026-01-14

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States