Table 1 Characteristics of the general population and comparison between experienced and novice emergency physician. EEP: experienced emergency physician; NEP: novice emergency physician (almost 50 echocardiographies after initial training); Results expressed in mean (SD) or number (%); BMI: body mass index; GCS: Glasgow coma scale
Characteristics | Missed data | All patients N = 85 | Echocardiography by NEP N = 34 (40 %) | Echocardiography by EEP N = 51 (60 %) | p value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Age (years) | 7(8 %) | 67 (18) | 68 (18) | 66 (17) | 0.65 |
Women | 5 (6 %) | 34 (42 %) | 14 (41 %) | 20 (43 %) | 0.98 |
BMI | 6 (7 %) | 25 (6) | 25 (5) | 26 (7) | 0.84 |
Primary indication of care | |||||
Chest pain | 44 (52 %) | 16 (47 %) | 28 (55 %) | ||
Dyspnea | 0 | 33 (39 %) | 15 (44 %) | 18 (35 %) | 0.63 |
Syncope | 4 (5 %) | 1 (3 %) | 3 (6 %) | ||
Cardiac arrest | 3 (3 %) | 2 (6 %) | 1 (2 %) | ||
Thoracic trauma | 1 (1 %) | 0 | 1 (2 %) | ||
GCS | 0 | 14 (3) | 14 (3) | 14 (3) | 0.85 |
Systolic arterial pressure (mmHg) | 1 (1%) | 139 (33) | 138 (32) | 140 (28) | 0.74 |
Shock state | 0 | 3 (3 %) | 2 (6 %) | 1 (2 %) | NA |
Respiratory distress state | 0 | 20 (24 %) | 7 (21 %) | 13 (25 %) | 0.6 |
Mechanical ventilation | 0 | 7 (8 %) | 4 (12 %) | 3 (6 %) | NA |
Echocardiography realization location | |||||
Home | 1 (1 %) | 36 (43 %) | 16 (47 %) | 20 (40 %) | |
Ambulance | 36 (43 %) | 11 (32 %) | 25 (50 %) | 0.24 | |
Care institution | 10 (12 %) | 6 (18 %) | 4 (8 %) | ||
Street | 1 (1 %) | 0 | 1 (2 %) | ||
Helicopter | 1 (1 %) | 1 (3 %) | 0 | ||
Patient position during examination | |||||
Supine | 0 | 30 (36 %) | 7 (21 %) | 23 (45 %) | 0.01 |
45° | 41 (48 %) | 17 (50 %) | 24 (47 %) | ||
Sitting | 14 (16 %) | 10 (29 %) | 4 (8 %) | ||
Duration of echocardiography (s) | 0 | 162 (97) | 184 (111) | 151 (90) | 0.11 |