Point-of-Care Ultrasound for Diagnosing Left Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

The study evaluates the effectiveness of E-point septal separation (EPSS) measurement via point-of-care ultrasound in diagnosing left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD) in adults presenting with acute dyspnoea in the Emergency Department. A systematic review and meta-analysis of six studies were conducted, revealing that the combined sensitivity and specificity of EPSS for detecting reduced ejection fraction (EF) were 78% and 71%, respectively, while for severely reduced EF, they were 76% and 62%. The findings suggest that while EPSS should not be used as a standalone test, it may assist in determining the presence of reduced EF when combined with other diagnostic methods. Recommendations for further research were also highlighted.