Bedside Ultrasound for Identifying Dehydration in Children with Gastroenteritis

The ratio of the diameters of the inferior vena cava to the aorta might be helpful in identifying dehydration in children.

In a prospective observational study, investigators evaluated use of bedside ultrasound for identifying severe dehydration in children (age range, 6 months to 18 years) who presented with gastroenteritis to an urban pediatric emergency department (ED) from 2007 to 2009. Before dehydration therapy was started, two of five pediatric emergency medicine attending physicians measured the diameters of the inferior vena cava (IVC) and aorta in the transverse plane of the subxiphoid, and then calculated the ratio of the IVC:aorta diameters. The difference between weight at follow-up (7 to 10 days after the initial visit) and weight at initial triage was used to calculate the degree of dehydration; a difference ≥5% was considered significant. In add…

Reviewing Author

Katherine Bakes, MD

Disclosures

RoyaltiesEmergency Medicine Secrets (Elsevier)

Grant/Research SupportDepartment of Justice

Editorial BoardsEmergency Medicine Secrets (Elsevier); Rosen’s Emergency Medicine (Elsevier)

Katherine Bakes, MD

Disclosures

RoyaltiesEmergency Medicine Secrets (Elsevier)

Grant/Research SupportDepartment of Justice

Editorial BoardsEmergency Medicine Secrets (Elsevier); Rosen’s Emergency Medicine (Elsevier)