Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42555460›Full record

ArticleEmergency medicine international2026

Retrospective Analysis of eFAST Exams to Detect COVID-19 in Trauma Patients.

Nicholas Gossett, Michelle Thao Nguyen, Roy Almog, Andy Hsueh, Soheil Saadat, Megan Guy, Edmund Hsu, Madison Nashu, Ronald Goubert, Amanda Dos Santos and 4 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Emergency medicine international, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors.

Nicholas GossettSchool of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Orange, California, USA, uci.edu.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0009-8428-5587
Michelle Thao NguyenSchool of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Orange, California, USA, uci.edu.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4039-7674
Roy AlmogDepartment of Emergency Medicine, University of California Irvine, Orange, California, USA, uci.edu.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0000-2462-350X
Andy HsuehDepartment of Emergency Medicine, University of California Irvine, Orange, California, USA, uci.edu.
Soheil SaadatDepartment of Emergency Medicine, University of California Irvine, Orange, California, USA, uci.edu.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2744-7983
Megan GuySchool of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Orange, California, USA, uci.edu.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4227-4707
Edmund HsuSchool of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Orange, California, USA, uci.edu.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5110-9618
Madison NashuDepartment of Emergency Medicine, University of California Irvine, Orange, California, USA, uci.edu.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0003-0664-1255
Ronald GoubertDepartment of Emergency Medicine, University of California Irvine, Orange, California, USA, uci.edu.
Amanda Dos SantosSamaritan Healthcare, Moses Lake, Washington, USA.
Andy NguyenTemecula Valley Hospital, Temecula, California, USA.
Matthew WhitedEisenhower Medical Center, Rancho Mirage, California, USA.
Jessa BakerTibor Rubin VA Medical Center, Long Beach, California, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9568-0912
John Christian FoxSchool of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Orange, California, USA, uci.edu.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2184-159X

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: This original research study evaluates the utility of pulmonary point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) within the extended focused assessment with sonography in trauma (eFAST) exam to detect asymptomatic COVID-19 in emergency department trauma patients. Specifically, it examines whether lung findings, such as B-lines, pleural thickening, and subpleural consolidations, can indicate a COVID-19 infection. Methods: This retrospective review includes trauma patients aged 18 years or older who underwent eFAST and COVID-19 swab testing at the University of California, Irvine Medical Center, from December 2020 to October 2022. Two blinded reviewers analyzed eFAST scans for more than two B-lines, irregular pleural interface, or subpleural consolidations, with discrepancies resolved by ultrasound fellows. Sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values were calculated with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: A total of 152 patients were included. Of 41 eFAST scans positive for COVID-19 findings, six were confirmed by PCR testing, yielding a positive predictive value of 15.6% (CI: 7.9%-25.6%). Among the 111 eFAST scans negative for COVID-19, 10 were PCR-positive, giving a negative predictive value of 91.0% (CI: 84.1%-95.6%). Sensitivity was 37.5% (CI: 15.2%-64.6%), and specificity was 74.3% (CI: 66.1%-81.4%). Conclusion: Lung POCUS within the eFAST exam is not a reliable tool for detecting asymptomatic COVID-19 infection in trauma patients due to limited sensitivity and low positive predictive value. Standard diagnostic methods, such as PCR testing, and the use of personal protective equipment should remain the primary approach to protect healthcare providers.

Indexed as

COVID-19eFASTPOCUSRT-PCRtrauma

Identifiers

PMID42555460
PMCPMC13352133

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.