MedPath

VExUS in Patients With Acute Heart Failure

Completed
Conditions
Acute Heart Failure
Interventions
Diagnostic Test: Venous excess ultrasound score (VExUS) protocol
Registration Number
NCT06397404
Lead Sponsor
I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University
Brief Summary

The importance of assessing venous congestion in heart failure patients is widely acknowledged, but its study is hampered by the lack of a practical evaluation tool. Venous excess ultrasound score (VExUS) is a promising noninvasive ultrasound-guided modality that can detect and objectify clinically significant organ congestion. VExUS congestion grading score was still not formally validated in patients with AHF, as there is limited data on its clinical application in this group of patients.

Detailed Description

It is currently unknown whether changes in systemic venous congestion, assessed by venous excess ultrasound score (VExUS), are associated with worsening renal function, reduced diuretic and natriuretic response, and poor prognosis in patients with acute decompensation of heart failure (AHF).

This prospective, observational, single-center study included patients admitted to the intensive care unit with AHF. At admission all patients undergo bedside Doppler ultrasound of inferior vena cava, hepatic, portal and renal veins to determine blood flow patterns. Congestion was graded with the VExUS score (grade 0, grade 1, grade 2, grade 3). Sodium concentration in a spot urine sample was assessed in 1 hour after first standard intravenous loop diuretic administration. The primary endpoint was the development of acute kidney injury (AKI), defined as oligoanuria (diuresis rate \<0.5 ml/kg/hour for 6 hours) and an increase of serum creatinine \>26 µmol/l within a 48-hour period or 50% from baseline creatinine within a week. The secondary endpoints were in-hospital mortality, change in spot urine sodium content \<50 mmol/l and development of diuretics resistance (defined as the need to double starting dose of intravenous furosemide in 6 hours without adding a different class of diuretic agents).

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
100
Inclusion Criteria
  • Acute decompensation of heart failure (diagnosis was based on the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) heart failure guidelines, with patients presenting with dyspnoea at rest or with minimal exertion and signs and symptoms of congestion (rales on chest auscultation, peripheral oedema, swelling of the cervical veins, hepatomegaly, ascites, hepatojugular reflux) and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) > 1000 pg/ml
Exclusion Criteria
  • Chronic renal replacement therapy or glomerular filtration rate < 15 ml/min/1.73m 2 (chronic kidney disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD)-EPI)
  • Cirrhosis with portal hypertension
  • Acute myocardial infarction according to The Fourth Universal Definition of Myocardial infarction
  • Pulmonary embolism
  • Sepsis (according to The Third International Consensus Definitions for Sepsis and Septic Shock (Sepsis-3))
  • Endotracheal intubation at the time of admission
  • Pregnancy or breastfeeding
  • Aortic dissection
  • Active cancer
  • Neurological or mental disease during exacerbation
  • Refusal to sign an informed consent form, inadequate acoustic window

Study & Design

Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Study Design
Not specified
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Patients with acute decompensated heart failureVenous excess ultrasound score (VExUS) protocolThe study involved patients over 18 years of age admitted to the hospital with acute heart failure and requiring intravenous administration of loop diuretics. Diagnosis was based on the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) heart failure guidelines, with patients presenting with dyspnoea at rest or with minimal exertion and signs and symptoms of congestion (rales on chest auscultation, peripheral oedema, swelling of the cervical veins, hepatomegaly, ascites, hepatojugular reflux) and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) \>1000 pg/ml.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Development of acute kidney injury (AKI)During 7 days of hospital stay

Assessment of patient's serum creatinine at admission, in 48 hours, at day 7, and calculation of the amount of urine output in the first 6 h after the administration of a loop diuretic.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
In-hospital mortalityDuring patient's hospital stay (up to 14 days)

Death from any cause, whichever came first

Development of diuretics resistance (defined as the need to double initial dose of intravenous furosemide in 6 hours without adding a different class of diuretic agents)6 hours after first intravenous furosemide administration

Assessment of diuretic response: patient's urine output (ml/kg/hour) in the first 6 hours and patient's medical record with doses of administered diuretics.

Change in spot urine sodium content <50 mmol/l1 hour after first standard intravenous loop diuretic administration after patient's admission.

Sodium concentration in a spot urine sample is assessed in 1 hour after first intravenous loop diuretic administration. Reduction of natriuretic response in the face of congestion with volume overload with spot urine sodium content \<50 mEq/L generally identifies a patient with an insufficient diuretic response.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

City clinical hospital named after S. S. Yudin, Moscow City Health Department, Moscow, Russian Federation

🇷🇺

Moscow, Russian Federation

© Copyright 2025. All Rights Reserved by MedPath