Efficacy and learning curve of a hand‑held echocardiography device in an oncology outpatient clinic: Expanding the use of echoscopic heart examination beyond cardiology
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- Published online on: April 9, 2015 https://doi.org/10.3892/mco.2015.543
- Pages: 820-824
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Abstract
Certain chemotherapy drugs for breast cancer may induce cardiotoxicity and these patients should be echocardiographically monitored. The performance of a focused echocardiographic evaluation (echoscopy) at the patient's location by a non‑cardiologist appears to be feasible. The aim of the present study was to assess the accuracy of echoscopy performed by medical oncologists in an outpatient clinic using hand‑held echocardiography devices. The study cohort comprised consecutive unselected patients who attended an oncology outpatient clinic. Two medical oncologists attended a one‑week training period, which included theoretical and practical teaching by an expert cardiologist. Every subject underwent two echo examinations. The first examination was performed by an oncologist using a hand‑held echo device and the second was performed by a cardiologist using a ‘premium’ device. Out of the 101 enrolled patients, 32 were men (31.7%) and the mean age was 56.03±16.88 years. There was a good global agreement [intra‑class correlation coefficient (ICC): 0.65 for left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF)]. When the results were analyzed depending on the period of time when the echo studies were performed, a clear and short learning curve was observed: LVEF started at ICC=0.58 and increased to 0.66 and 0.77 in the second and third period, respectively. There were extremely few clinically significant differences and a learning curve was also evident. In conclusion, cardiac echoscopy performed by an oncologist with a hand‑held device may lead to a similar clinical management as a study performed by an expert cardiologist with a ‘premium’ system in patients under chemotherapy following a short training period.
