Effect of a Therapeutic Strategy Guided by Lung Ultrasound on 6-Month Outcomes in Patients with Heart Failure: Randomized, Multicenter Trial (EPICC Study)

Abstract

Introduction and objectives: Pulmonary congestion (PC) is associated with an increased risk of hospitalization and death in patients with heart failure (HF). Lung ultrasound has shown to be highly sensitive for detecting PC in HF. The aim of this study is to evaluate whether lung ultrasound-guided therapy improves 6-month outcomes in patients with HF compared with conventional treatment.

Materials and methods: Randomized, multicenter, single-blind clinical trial in patients discharged from Internal Medicine Departments after hospitalization for decompensated HF. Participants will be assigned 1:1 to receive treatment guided according to the presence of lung ultrasound signs of congestion (semi-quantitative evaluation of B lines and the presence of pleural effusion) versus clinical assessment of congestion. The primary outcome is the combination of cardiovascular death and readmission for HF at 6 months.

Conclusions: The results of this study will provide more evidence about the impact of lung ultrasound on treatment monitoring in patients with chronic HF.

Keywords: Heart failure; Lung ultrasound; Therapy; Trial.