Acute heart failure (AHF) is a common cause of COPD exacerbation however its role is very often underestimated. Until now, the use of echocardiography and some invasive hemodynamic exploration techniques such as the Swanganz catheter has been stated as reference. Other noninvasive diagnostic methods have been studied, such as systolic time intervals and Valsalva maneuver, but their application still difficult in patients with COPD exacerbation, especially in emergency department (ED) settings. the study aimed to evaluate the performance of a new diagnostic technique based on the measurement of the ΔIVC for the early identification of AHF in patients presenting to the ED with acute COPD exacerbation.
