Cardiac ArrestNCT04790396
Carotid Ultrasound Under Pulsed-wave Doppler Mode to Check the Pulse in Cardiopulmonary Arrest Patients.
An observational study of Cardiac Arrest, run by National Taiwan University Hospital at 1 site in Taiwan.
Trial summary
It's crucial to determine whether a pulse is present or not in patient with cardiac arrest. But more and more studies have shown that manual palpation is unreliable for detecting pulse 1-4. Failure to detect pulselessness may cause delay of chest compression and directly affect the patient's outcome. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 20 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Cardiac Arrest
- What is being tested?
- Carotid ultrasound under pulsed-wave doppler mode
- Type of treatment
- Medical device
- How many people
- 50 participants
- Where
- 1 siteTaiwan
- Study dates
- 1 Dec 2020to 31 Dec 2027
- How long will I take part?
- 1 Day
- Phase
- Observational
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 20 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Study population: any patient presenting at ER with cardiac arrest older than 20 years-old, including trauma or non-trauma cardiac arrest, in-hospital or out-of-hospital cardiac arrest
Who may be able to join
- any patient presenting at ER with cardiac arrest older than 20 years-old
Who cannot join
- younger than 20 years-old
- patient who is pregnant
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
It's crucial to determine whether a pulse is present or not in patient with cardiac arrest. But more and more studies have shown that manual palpation is unreliable for detecting pulse 1-4. Failure to detect pulselessness may cause delay of chest compression and directly affect the patient's outcome. Likewise, failure to rapidly detect return of spontaneous circulation may cause prolonged chest compression and increase associated injury during resuscitation.
More and more studies have demonstrated that echo guided pulse detection is feasible 5-7. The aim of our study is to check carotid pulse via ultrasound. This is a prospective study and the patient selection is in-hospital or out of hospital cardiac arrest. A curvilinear ultrasonography transducer is used and placed transversely on either right/left carotid artery under pulsed-wave doppler mode to check whether the pulse is present or not. The result of ultrasonography will be compared with manual palpation and to determine the accuracy and effectiveness of clinical usage.
- Conditions
- Cardiac Arrest
- Being tested
- Carotid ultrasound under pulsed-wave doppler mode
- Medical subject headings
- Heart Arrest
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Carotid ultrasound under pulsed-wave doppler modeDevice
Carotid ultrasound under pulsed-wave doppler mode to check whether carotid pulse is present
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Patient presenting at emergent department with cardiac arrest | Not described Receives: Device: Carotid ultrasound under pulsed-wave doppler mode |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Carotid ultrasound under pulsed-wave doppler compared with manual palpation
The result of ultrasonography will be compared with manual palpation and to determine the accuracy（e.g., no pulse under manual palpation but positive pulse-wave finding）of clinical usage.
Measured: 5 seconds during pulse check period of resuscitation
Carotid ultrasound under pulsed-wave doppler compared with manual palpation
The result of ultrasonography will be compared with manual palpation and to determine the effectiveness (e.g., the time need to confirm whether pulse is present or not under manual palpation and ultrasound) of clinical usage.
Measured: 5 seconds during pulse check period of resuscitation
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted10 Mar 2021
- Study start1 Dec 2020
- Primary completion31 Dec 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion31 Dec 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (7)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Cardiac ArrestStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by National Taiwan University HospitalThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Observational model
- Case only
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Enrolment
- 50 participants (estimated)
- Target duration
- 1 Day
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- National Taiwan University Hospital
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04790396
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 202010082RINB
- Status last verified
- Sep 2026
- First submitted
- 8 Mar 2021
- Last updated
- 18 Sep 2026
- Results posted
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided
Publications
Bahr J, Klingler H, Panzer W, Rode H, Kettler D. Skills of lay people in checking the carotid pulse. Resuscitation. 1997 Aug;35(1):23-6. doi: 10.1016/s0300-9572(96)01092-1.
PubMed 9259056Eberle B, Dick WF, Schneider T, Wisser G, Doetsch S, Tzanova I. Checking the carotid pulse check: diagnostic accuracy of first responders in patients with and without a pulse. Resuscitation. 1996 Dec;33(2):107-16. doi: 10.1016/s0300-9572(96)01016-7.
PubMed 9025126Moule P. Checking the carotid pulse: diagnostic accuracy in students of the healthcare professions. Resuscitation. 2000 May;44(3):195-201. doi: 10.1016/s0300-9572(00)00139-8.
PubMed 10825620Liberman M, Lavoie A, Mulder D, Sampalis J. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation: errors made by pre-hospital emergency medical personnel. Resuscitation. 1999 Sep;42(1):47-55. doi: 10.1016/s0300-9572(99)00082-9.
PubMed 10524730Badra K, Coutin A, Simard R, Pinto R, Lee JS, Chenkin J. The POCUS pulse check: A randomized controlled crossover study comparing pulse detection by palpation versus by point-of-care ultrasound. Resuscitation. 2019 Jun;139:17-23. doi: 10.1016/j.resuscitation.2019.03.009. Epub 2019 Mar 20.
PubMed 30902687Simard RD, Unger AG, Betz M, Wu A, Chenkin J. The POCUS Pulse Check: A Case Series on a Novel Method for Determining the Presence of a Pulse Using Point-of-Care Ultrasound. J Emerg Med. 2019 Jun;56(6):674-679. doi: 10.1016/j.jemermed.2019.02.013. Epub 2019 Apr 16.
PubMed 31003817Germanoska B, Coady M, Ng S, Fermanis G, Miller M. The reliability of carotid ultrasound in determining the return of pulsatile flow: A pilot study. Ultrasound. 2018 May;26(2):118-126. doi: 10.1177/1742271X17753467. Epub 2018 Jan 29.
PubMed 30013612
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 18 Sep 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Carotid Ultrasound Under Pulsed-wave Doppler Mode to Check the Pulse in Cardiopulmonary Arrest Patients.
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04790396
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 202010082RINB
- Conditions
- Cardiac Arrest
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Active, not recruiting
- Enrolment
- 50 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- National Taiwan University HospitalUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 Dec 2020 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 31 Dec 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 31 Dec 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 10 Mar 2021 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
It's crucial to determine whether a pulse is present or not in patient with cardiac arrest. But more and more studies have shown that manual palpation is unreliable for detecting pulse 1-4. Failure to detect pulselessness may cause delay of chest compression and directly affect the patient's outcome. Likewise, failure to rapidly detect return of spontaneous circulation may cause prolonged chest compression and increase associated injury during resuscitation.
More and more studies have demonstrated that echo guided pulse detection is feasible 5-7. The aim of our study is to check carotid pulse via ultrasound. This is a prospective study and the patient selection is in-hospital or out of hospital cardiac arrest. A curvilinear ultrasonography transducer is used and placed transversely on either right/left carotid artery under pulsed-wave doppler mode to check whether the pulse is present or not. The result of ultrasonography will be compared with manual palpation and to determine the accuracy and effectiveness of clinical usage.
Study design
- Observational model
- Case only
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Target follow-up
- 1 Day
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Patient presenting at emergent department with cardiac arrest | – | Device: Carotid ultrasound under pulsed-wave doppler mode |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 20 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
- Study population
- any patient presenting at ER with cardiac arrest older than 20 years-old, including trauma or non-trauma cardiac arrest, in-hospital or out-of-hospital cardiac arrest
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- any patient presenting at ER with cardiac arrest older than 20 years-old
Key exclusion criteria (2 listed)
- younger than 20 years-old
- patient who is pregnant
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Carotid ultrasound under pulsed-wave doppler modeCarotid ultrasound under pulsed-wave doppler mode to check whether carotid pulse is present | Device | Patient presenting at emergent department with cardiac arrest |
Primary outcome
Carotid ultrasound under pulsed-wave doppler compared with manual palpation
Time frame: 5 seconds during pulse check period of resuscitation
The result of ultrasonography will be compared with manual palpation and to determine the accuracy（e.g., no pulse under manual palpation but positive pulse-wave finding）of clinical usage.
Carotid ultrasound under pulsed-wave doppler compared with manual palpation
Time frame: 5 seconds during pulse check period of resuscitation
The result of ultrasonography will be compared with manual palpation and to determine the effectiveness (e.g., the time need to confirm whether pulse is present or not under manual palpation and ultrasound) of clinical usage.
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 18 Sep 2026.
- Results publication: PubMed 9259056Bahr J, Klingler H, Panzer W, Rode H, Kettler D. Skills of lay people in checking the carotid pulse. Resuscitation. 1997 Aug;35(1):23-6. doi: 10.1016/s0300-9572(96)01092-1.
- Results publication: PubMed 9025126Eberle B, Dick WF, Schneider T, Wisser G, Doetsch S, Tzanova I. Checking the carotid pulse check: diagnostic accuracy of first responders in patients with and without a pulse. Resuscitation. 1996 Dec;33(2):107-16. doi: 10.1016/s0300-9572(96)01016-7.
- Results publication: PubMed 10825620Moule P. Checking the carotid pulse: diagnostic accuracy in students of the healthcare professions. Resuscitation. 2000 May;44(3):195-201. doi: 10.1016/s0300-9572(00)00139-8.
- Results publication: PubMed 10524730Liberman M, Lavoie A, Mulder D, Sampalis J. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation: errors made by pre-hospital emergency medical personnel. Resuscitation. 1999 Sep;42(1):47-55. doi: 10.1016/s0300-9572(99)00082-9.
- Results publication: PubMed 30902687Badra K, Coutin A, Simard R, Pinto R, Lee JS, Chenkin J. The POCUS pulse check: A randomized controlled crossover study comparing pulse detection by palpation versus by point-of-care ultrasound. Resuscitation. 2019 Jun;139:17-23. doi: 10.1016/j.resuscitation.2019.03.009. Epub 2019 Mar 20.
- Results publication: PubMed 31003817Simard RD, Unger AG, Betz M, Wu A, Chenkin J. The POCUS Pulse Check: A Case Series on a Novel Method for Determining the Presence of a Pulse Using Point-of-Care Ultrasound. J Emerg Med. 2019 Jun;56(6):674-679. doi: 10.1016/j.jemermed.2019.02.013. Epub 2019 Apr 16.
- Results publication: PubMed 30013612Germanoska B, Coady M, Ng S, Fermanis G, Miller M. The reliability of carotid ultrasound in determining the return of pulsatile flow: A pilot study. Ultrasound. 2018 May;26(2):118-126. doi: 10.1177/1742271X17753467. Epub 2018 Jan 29.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Undecided
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of Cardiac Arrest, run by National Taiwan University Hospital at 1 site in Taiwan.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 2 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: under way, not looking for participants, as of the sponsor's last update on 18 Sep 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Taiwan. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Carotid ultrasound under pulsed-wave doppler compared with manual palpation (time frame: 5 seconds during pulse check period of resuscitation). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT04790396, which also lists 7 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 18 Sep 2026.