Cardiac point-of-care ultrasound detection of regional wall motion abnormalities optimizes clinical assessment in patients with acute myocardial infarction in the emergency department

Accurate assessment of the patient’s condition in the emergency department (ED) is critical for individuals with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). In this study, point-of-care ultrasound (PoCUS) was utilized to evaluate ventricular wall motion in AMI patients in the ED, aiming to determine its clinical value in early risk stratification and condition assessment. A retrospective cohort study was conducted by systematically collecting clinical data from patients who presented to the ED, were ultimately diagnosed with AMI, and underwent cardiac PoCUS examinations. A total of 143 AMI patients were enrolled in this study. Among them, 108 patients were identified as having regional wall motion abnormalities (RWMA). The proportions of patients with complete occlusion of the culprit artery, culprit artery thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) flow ≤ 2, and culprit artery TIMI flow ≤ 1 were significantly higher in the RWMA group compared to the non-RWMA group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that complete occlusion of the culprit artery and culprit artery located in the left anterior descending artery (LAD) were independent risk factors for RWMA. Patients with RWMA exhibited a markedly reduced left ventricular ejection fraction and were at an elevated risk for the occurrence of new-onset arrhythmias and acute heart failure. RMWA was closely correlated with both the severity of coronary artery lesions and the incidence of adverse complications in AMI patients. Cardiac PoCUS assessment in the ED helps optimize clinical evaluation and management of AMI patients.