Table 3.
Association of PEF study groups on admission to other markers of congestion (n=188).
| n | PEF score 0 (n=63) |
PEF score 1–4 (n=57) |
PEF score 5–8 (n=68) |
P (trend)* | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physical exam1 | |||||
| JVD (≥10 cm) | 176 | 47 (80%) | 44 (85%) | 43 (66%) | 0.07 |
| Peripheral oedema (any) | 188 | 49 (78%) | 42 (74%) | 47 (69%) | 0.26 |
| Audible S3/4 | 186 | 3 (5%) | 4 (7%) | 11 (16%) | 0.024 |
| Rales/crackles (any) | 188 | 32 (51%) | 33 (58%) | 45 (66%) | 0.08 |
| Diminished breath sounds (any) | 188 | 10 (16%) | 12 (21%) | 23 (34%) | 0.016 |
| Thoracic and lung ultrasound | |||||
| PEF | 180 | 0 | 2 (1–3) | 7 (6–8) | N/A |
| B-lines | 178 | 4 (2–8) | 7 (4–9) | 7 (4–10) | 0.004 |
| Admission CXR1 | |||||
| Pleural effusions on upright CXR | 102 | 16 (54%) | 18 (64%) | 38 (97%) | 0.001 |
| PEF score on upright CXR (0–8) | 101 | 0 (0–2) | 2 (0–3) | 4 (3–5) | <0.001 |
| Cardiomegaly (CTR >0.5) | 135 | 34 (85%) | 41 (91%) | 48 (96%) | 0.07 |
| Vascular congestion | 134 | 24 (60%) | 29 (64%) | 41 (84%) | 0.013 |
| Interstitial oedema on CXR | 135 | 32 (80%) | 34 (76%) | 44 (88%) | 0.30 |
| Alveolar oedema on CXR | 135 | 2 (5%) | 6 (13%) | 8 (16%) | 0.12 |
| Dyspnoea | |||||
| At rest (NRS 1–10) | 186 | 5 (1–7) | 5 (1–7) | 4 (0–7) | 0.38 |
| On exertion (NRS 1–10) | 182 | 8 (7–9) | 8 (7–10) | 7 (5–9) | 0.38 |
| NT-proBNP (pg/ml)1 | 178 | 2861 (1683–5766) | 4327 (2712–7722) | 9012 (5091–15606) | 0.001 |
Data are presented as median (interquartile range) for continuous and as count (%) for categorical data.
*
P (trend) for PEF study groups 1–3.
1
Clinical, CXR and laboratory data were only included in the analysis if obtained within 24 hours of the admission TUS examination.
PEF: pleural effusion; JVD: jugular venous distension; TUS: thoracic ultrasound; CXR: chest radiography; NRS: numeric rating scale.