Training Medical Residents in the Use of the Venous Excess UltraSound (VExUS) Score for Bedside Volume Assessment.

NCT07541768 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: VEXUS Teaching
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 23
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This randomized controlled trial evaluates the effectiveness of two training approaches (in-person versus remote) for teaching medical residents to apply the Venous Excess Ultrasound (VExUS) score for bedside volume assessment in patients with acute heart failure. Resident performance will be compared to that of expert physicians certified in abdominal and duplex sonography.

Conditions

Acute Heart Failure (AHF); Fluid Over-load; Congestion; Congestion, Venous

Keywords

Vexus; Venous Excess Ultrasound; Point-of-Care Ultrasound; POCUS; Ultrasound Training; Medical Education; Volume Assessment; Venous Congestion; Duplex Ultrasound; Bedside Ultrasound

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Ultrasound Image Quality Score

  The primary outcome will be a quality score, adapted from a quality score used in a previous randomized controlled trial which investigated a simulator-based training program for transoesophageal echocardiography.11 The quality score will include items commonly used for assessment of ultrasound quality: angle and depth, overall clarity, visualization of the anatomical structures, focus, doppler gain, scale and baseline resulting in a maximum achievable quality score of 100 points. If multiple images of the predefined views are captured, each image will be rated, and the best rating will be kept to calculate the final score. If a view is missing, 0 point will be awarded for that view. All ultrasound images will be independently assessed by experts for abdominal sonography and use Doppler sonography in their daily clinical practice and are blinded to the role (resident vs. SGUM-certified physician) and training (in-person vs. remote) program of the participants.

  From training until 6 months after completion of training

Secondary Outcomes (5)

• Time for Image Acquisition and Interpretation

  From training until 6 months after completion of training

• Change in self-confidence in performing VExUS assessment

  From baseline (before training) to immediately after completion of training

• Acceptability of the program (quantitative assessment)

  Immediately after completion of training and during the outcome assessment period (within 2 months after training)

• VEXUS score

  From training until 6 months after completion of training

• Acceptability of the program (qualitative assessment)

  Immediately after completion of training and during the outcome assessment period (within 2 months after training)

Study Arms (3)

In-person Training

EXPERIMENTAL

1-hour theoretical introduction 3-hour supervised practical ultrasound session Group-based hands-on training with expert coach

Behavioral: In-person VExUS Training Program

Remote Training

EXPERIMENTAL

E-learning theoretical module 20 independently performed ultrasound exams Asynchronous expert feedback (phone/email)

Behavioral: Remote VExUS Training Program

Control (Expert Physicians)

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

SGUM-certified physicians performing VExUS examinations

Other: No intervention

Interventions

In-person VExUS Training Program BEHAVIORAL

In-person training consisting of a 1-hour theoretical introduction followed by a 3-hour supervised hands-on ultrasound training session focusing on acquisition and interpretation of the VExUS score.

In-person Training

Remote VExUS Training Program BEHAVIORAL

Remote training consisting of an e-learning module followed by independently performed ultrasound examinations with asynchronous expert feedback (via phone or email).

Remote Training

No intervention OTHER

SGUM-certified physicians performing VExUS examinations as expert reference standard.

Control (Expert Physicians)

Eligibility Criteria

• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Medical residents in general internal medicine
• Basic ultrasound skills (POCUS component 1 or ≥200 scans)
• Working at study site during study period

You may not qualify if:

• SGUM certification in abdominal ultrasound
• Advanced duplex ultrasound experience
• Prior vascular/duplex training

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Insel Gruppe AG, University Hospital Bern: lead

Study Sites (1)

Inselspital

Bern, 3011, Switzerland

RECRUITING

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Hyperemia

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Vascular Diseases; Cardiovascular Diseases

Central Study Contacts

Caroline Rimensberger, MD

CONTACT

0041316322111; caroline.rimensberger@insel.ch

Claudio Schneider, MD

CONTACT

0041316322111; claudio.schneider@insel.ch

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: DIAGNOSTIC
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Senior physician

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: March 31, 2026
• First Posted: April 21, 2026
• Study Start: March 20, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 31, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 31, 2026
• Last Updated: April 21, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-04

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share

Locations

CH (1)