Acute Heart Failure (AHF)NCT07541768
Training Medical Residents in the Use of the Venous Excess UltraSound (VExUS) Score for Bedside Volume Assessment.
A study testing In-person VExUS Training Program and Remote VExUS Training Program in people with Acute Heart Failure (AHF) and Fluid Over-load, run by Insel Gruppe AG, University Hospital Bern at 1 site in Switzerland.
Trial 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. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Any ageHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Acute Heart Failure (AHF), Fluid Over-load, Congestion
- What is being tested?
- In-person VExUS Training Program and Remote VExUS Training Program
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 23 participants
- Where
- 1 siteSwitzerland
- Study dates
- 20 Mar 2026to 31 Dec 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- 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 Any age
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Medical residents in general internal medicine
- Basic ultrasound skills (POCUS component 1 or ≥200 scans)
- Working at study site during study period
Who cannot join
- SGUM certification in abdominal ultrasound
- Advanced duplex ultrasound experience
- Prior vascular/duplex training
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Switzerland1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
Inselspital
Bern, 3011
General Internal Medicine, 0041316322367, sekretariat.meas@insel.ch
About this study
Official title: Training Medical Residents in the Use of the Venous Excess UltraSound (VExUS) Score for Bedside Volume Assessment: a Randomized Controlled Trial
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.
Read the detailed description
Accurate assessment of volume status is essential in managing acute heart failure but remains challenging in clinical practice. The VExUS score is a validated ultrasound-based tool integrating inferior vena cava diameter and Doppler assessment of hepatic, portal, and intrarenal veins.
This single-center randomized controlled trial compares two training modalities (in-person vs. remote) in medical residents with basic ultrasound skills. Participants will be randomized 1:1 to either training method and compared to a control group of expert physicians.
Primary outcomes include ultrasound image quality assessed using a standardized 100-point score. Secondary outcomes include time to acquisition, VExUS scoring accuracy, self-confidence, and acceptability of training methods.
- Being tested
- In-person VExUS Training Program, Remote VExUS Training Program, No intervention
- Keywords
- Vexus, Venous Excess Ultrasound, Point-of-Care Ultrasound, POCUS, Ultrasound Training, Medical Education, Volume Assessment, Venous Congestion, Duplex Ultrasound, Bedside Ultrasound
- Medical subject headings
- Hyperemia
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
In-person VExUS Training ProgramBehavioural
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.
Remote VExUS Training ProgramBehavioural
Remote training consisting of an e-learning module followed by independently performed ultrasound examinations with asynchronous expert feedback (via phone or email).
No interventionOther
SGUM-certified physicians performing VExUS examinations as expert reference standard.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| In-person Training | Experimental | 1-hour theoretical introduction 3-hour supervised practical ultrasound session Group-based hands-on training with expert coach Receives: Behavioral: In-person VExUS Training Program |
| Remote Training | Experimental | E-learning theoretical module 20 independently performed ultrasound exams Asynchronous expert feedback (phone/email) Receives: Behavioral: Remote VExUS Training Program |
| Control (Expert Physicians) | Active comparator | SGUM-certified physicians performing VExUS examinations Receives: Other: No intervention |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
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.
Measured: From training until 6 months after completion of training
Secondary outcomes (5)
Time for Image Acquisition and Interpretation
Time required by participants to perform the ultrasound examination and interpret the images during VExUS assessment
Measured: From training until 6 months after completion of training
Change in self-confidence in performing VExUS assessment
Self-reported confidence measured using a Likert-scale questionnaire before and after training
Measured: From baseline (before training) to immediately after completion of training
Acceptability of the program (quantitative assessment)
Acceptability of the program will be assessed using a structured survey with 5-point Likert scale items based on an implementation framework (e.g., Theoretical Domains Framework). Results will be reported as mean scores or median values on a 5-point scale, where higher scores indicate greater acceptability.
Measured: Immediately after completion of training and during the outcome assessment period (within 2 months after training)
VEXUS score
The Venous Excess Ultrasound Score (VExUS) is a semi-quantitative ultrasound-based score used to assess systemic venous congestion by combining inferior vena cava (IVC) diameter and Doppler flow patterns of abdominal veins, including hepatic, portal, and intrarenal veins. The score ranges from 0 to 3, with 0 indicating no congestion, 1 indicating mild congestion, 2 indicating moderate congestion, and 3 indicating severe venous congestion. Higher scores indicate greater venous congestion and worse clinical status.
Measured: From training until 6 months after completion of training
Acceptability of the program (qualitative assessment)
Acceptability, including perceived barriers and facilitators to implementation, will be explored through semi-structured interviews. Data will be analyzed using thematic analysis guided by an implementation framework.
Measured: Immediately after completion of training and during the outcome assessment period (within 2 months after training)
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted21 Apr 2026
- Study start20 Mar 2026
- Primary completion31 Dec 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion31 Dec 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Acute Heart Failure (AHF)Studies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Insel Gruppe AG, University Hospital BernThe 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
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Diagnosis
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 23 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Insel Gruppe AG, University Hospital Bern
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Claudio Schneider, Insel Gruppe AG, University Hospital Bern
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07541768
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- VEXUS Teaching
- Status last verified
- Apr 2026
- First submitted
- 31 Mar 2026
- Last updated
- 21 Apr 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 21 Apr 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Training Medical Residents in the Use of the Venous Excess UltraSound (VExUS) Score for Bedside Volume Assessment: a Randomized Controlled Trial
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07541768
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- VEXUS Teaching
- Keywords
- Vexus, Venous Excess Ultrasound, Point-of-Care Ultrasound, POCUS, Ultrasound Training, Medical Education, Volume Assessment, Venous Congestion
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 23 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Insel Gruppe AG, University Hospital BernUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 20 Mar 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 31 Dec 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 31 Dec 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 21 Apr 2026 (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.
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.
Detailed description
Accurate assessment of volume status is essential in managing acute heart failure but remains challenging in clinical practice. The VExUS score is a validated ultrasound-based tool integrating inferior vena cava diameter and Doppler assessment of hepatic, portal, and intrarenal veins.
This single-center randomized controlled trial compares two training modalities (in-person vs. remote) in medical residents with basic ultrasound skills. Participants will be randomized 1:1 to either training method and compared to a control group of expert physicians.
Primary outcomes include ultrasound image quality assessed using a standardized 100-point score. Secondary outcomes include time to acquisition, VExUS scoring accuracy, self-confidence, and acceptability of training methods.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Diagnosis
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 3
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| In-person Training | Experimental | Behavioral: In-person VExUS Training Program1-hour theoretical introduction 3-hour supervised practical ultrasound session Group-based hands-on training with expert coach |
| Remote Training | Experimental | Behavioral: Remote VExUS Training ProgramE-learning theoretical module 20 independently performed ultrasound exams Asynchronous expert feedback (phone/email) |
| Control (Expert Physicians) | Active comparator | Other: No interventionSGUM-certified physicians performing VExUS examinations |
Who may qualify
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Medical residents in general internal medicine
- Basic ultrasound skills (POCUS component 1 or ≥200 scans)
- Working at study site during study period
Key exclusion criteria (3 listed)
- SGUM certification in abdominal ultrasound
- Advanced duplex ultrasound experience
- Prior vascular/duplex training
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 |
|---|---|---|
| In-person VExUS Training ProgramIn-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. | Behavioural | In-person Training |
| Remote VExUS Training ProgramRemote training consisting of an e-learning module followed by independently performed ultrasound examinations with asynchronous expert feedback (via phone or email). | Behavioural | Remote Training |
| No interventionSGUM-certified physicians performing VExUS examinations as expert reference standard. | Other | Control (Expert Physicians) |
Primary outcome
Ultrasound Image Quality Score
Time frame: From training until 6 months after completion of training
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.
5 secondary outcomes
Time for Image Acquisition and Interpretation
Time frame: From training until 6 months after completion of training
Change in self-confidence in performing VExUS assessment
Time frame: From baseline (before training) to immediately after completion of training
Acceptability of the program (quantitative assessment)
Time frame: Immediately after completion of training and during the outcome assessment period (within 2 months after training)
VEXUS score
Time frame: From training until 6 months after completion of training
Acceptability of the program (qualitative assessment)
Time frame: Immediately after completion of training and during the outcome assessment period (within 2 months after training)
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 21 Apr 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes
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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.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing In-person VExUS Training Program and Remote VExUS Training Program in people with Acute Heart Failure (AHF) and Fluid Over-load, run by Insel Gruppe AG, University Hospital Bern at 1 site in Switzerland.
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 3 inclusion and 3 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: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 21 Apr 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 Switzerland. 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?
Contact Caroline Rimensberger, MD (0041316322111, caroline.rimensberger@insel.ch), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Ultrasound Image Quality Score (time frame: From training until 6 months after completion of training). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
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 21 Apr 2026.