ABSTRACT
Objective:To evaluate the accuracy of lung ultrasound score (LUSS) in predicting emerging hypoxemia after tracheal extubation in the patients in postanesthesia care unit (PACU).Methods:A total of 333 patients of both sexes, aged 18-89 yr, of American Society of Anesthesiologist physical statusⅠ-Ⅲ, scheduled for elective abdominal surgery, were included in the study.Lung ultrasound examinations were performed before operation (T 0) and on admission to PACU (T 1), and the LUSS were recorded as LUSS 0 and LUSS 1.Arterial blood gas analysis was conducted at 20 min after tracheal extubation, and oxygenation index (PaO 2/FiO 2) were recorded.Patients were divided into 2 groups according to the oxygenation index: PaO 2/FiO 2<300 mmHg group (hypoxemia group), and PaO 2/FiO 2≥300 mmHg group (non-hypoxemia group). Multivariate logistic regression analysis and the receiver operating characteristic curve were used to evaluate the accuracy of LUSS 1 in predicting the emerging hypoxemia after extubation in the patients in PACU. Results:The incidence of emerging hypoxemia in PACU after extubation was 9.0%.Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that LUSS 1 and body mass index were independent risk factors for emerging hypoxemia after extubation in the patients in PACU.The area under the ROC curve for LUSS 1 was 0.873 ( P<0.001, 95%CI 0.812-0.935). The patients with LUSS 1<7 had a lower risk of hypoxemia after extubation (LR -=0.15, 95%CI 0.05-0.45), and the patients with LUSS 1>10 had a higher risk of hypoxemia after extubation (LR + =17.25, 95%CI 7.35-40.51). Conclusion:LUS can effectively predict the development of hypoxemia after tracheal extubation in the patients in PACU.