ArticlePloS one2024
Point-of-care ultrasound use in austere environments: A scoping review.
Article in PloS one, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.
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.
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.
Who cites it
5 citing papers in PubMed.
- Feasibility of point-of-care ultrasound training and remote quality assurance for community physicians in conflict-affected Syria.Journal of ultrasound · 2026Article
- Imaging of the Equine Abdomen Using Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS)-A Resource for the Equine Practitioner.Animals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2026Review
- Point-of-care ultrasound in prehospital emergency care: attitudes, facilitators and barriers.BMC medical education · 2026Article
- PURA-ECHO: Analysis of the evolution of Ultrasound utilization in austere health care settings in Costa Rica's Geographic Empanelment Model.BMC emergency medicine · 2026Article
- Performance and development trends of ultrasound diagnostic systems in military settings: a review.The ultrasound journal · 2025Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
BACKGROUND/
objectivesTechnological developments in point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS), particularly with portable devices, are transforming POCUS use in austere, resource-limited environments (RLS) distinct from typical hospital or medical settings. POCUS has potential to improve diagnostic accuracy in military combat zones, low-resource environments such as the desert or tropics, microgravity, and high altitudes. Our updated narrative scoping review describes POCUS use in these global settings.
methodsUsing the PRISMA-ScR guidelines, two ultrasound-trained emergency physicians searched PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science on August 6, 2024 for "point-of-care ultrasound in austere environments" and each individual category. Study titles and abstracts were independently screened, then full manuscripts, and data was abstracted with a data collection table. 324 articles met inclusion criteria: research studies describing POCUS in austere environments; involving healthcare professionals; and in English. We excluded abstracts, studies not involving POCUS in austere environments, and non-clinical studies. Reviewers critically appraised studies using the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations) Quality Assessment Tool.
resultsThere were 39 military or conflict zone studies, 101 prehospital, 148 in RLS including low- and middle-income countries, 12 outer space, 15 high altitude, and 32 involving POCUS use in multiple austere environments. There were 6 randomized-control trials, 11 systematic/scoping reviews, 13 narrative reviews, 112 prospective observational/cohort, 34 prospective cross-sectional studies, 23 retrospective, 6 feasibility, 45 case reports, 13 case series, and 5 educational curriculum studies. GRADE study quality was variable, with 74 high quality, 129 moderate, 82 low, and 56 very low.
conclusionThe existing literature is mixed with variability in study settings, design, and POCUS examination types, providing an initial understanding of POCUS applications. Most studies are in RLS or prehospital settings. Additional high-quality studies are needed to guide POCUS training, disseminate use in non-hospital settings, and maximize impact for improved clinical outcomes in diverse austere environments.
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Registered trials
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 Socratic graph.