Does the presence or absence of sonographically identified cardiac activity predict resuscitation outcomes of cardiac arrest patients?

This study evaluated the ability of cardiac sonography performed by emergency physicians to predict resuscitation outcomes of cardiac arrest patients. A convenience sample of cardiac arrest patients prospectively underwent bedside cardiac sonography at 4 emergency medicine residency-affiliated EDs as part of the Sonography Outcomes Assessment Program. Cardiac arrest patients in pulseless electrical activity (PEA) and asystole underwent transthoracic cardiac ultrasound B-mode examinations during their resuscitations to assess for the presence or absence of cardiac kinetic activity.