Lung ultrasonography performed by nephrologist: COVID-19 as an opportunity to reveal ultrasound's full potential and usefulness in the dialysis room.

Background: Interest in point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) and lung ultrasound (LUS) is growing in the nephrology and dialysis field, and the number of nephrologists skilled in what is proving to be the "5th pillar of bedside physical examination" is increasing. Patients on hemodialysis (HD) are at high risk of contracting severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2) and developing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) serious complications. Despite this, to our knowledge there are no studies to date that show the role of LUS in this setting, while there are many in the emergency room, where LUS proved to be an important tool, providing risk stratification and guiding management strategies and resource allocation. Therefore, it is not clear whether the usefulness and cut-offs of LUS highlighted in studies in the general population are reliable in dialysis, or whether variations, precautions and adjustments to this specific situation are necessary. Methods: This was a 1-year monocentric prospective observational cohort study of 56 HD patients with COVID-19. Patients underwent a monitoring protocol that included at first evaluation bedside LUS, using a 12-scan scoring system, by the same nephrologist. All data were prospectively and systematically collected. Outcomes. hospitalization rate, combined outcome [non-invasive ventilation (NIV + death)], mortality. Descriptive variables are presented as medians (interquartile range), or percentage. Univariate and multivariate analysis, as well as Kaplan-Meier (K-M) survival curves, were carried out. P was fixed at .05. Results: Median age was 78 years, 90% had at least one comorbidity (46% diabetics), 55% were hospitalized and 23% deaths. Median duration of disease was 23 days (14-34). A LUS score ≥11 represented a 13-fold risk of hospitalization, a 16.5-fold risk of combined outcome (NIV + death) vs risk factors such as age [odds ratio (OR) 1.6], diabetes (OR 1.2), male sex (OR 1.3) and obesity (OR 1.25), and a 7.7-fold risk of mortality. In the logistic regression, LUS score ≥11 is associated with the combined outcome with a hazard ratio (HR) of 6.1 vs inflammations indices such as CRP ≥9 mg/dL (HR 5.5) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) ≥62 pg/mL (HR 5.4). In K-M curves, survival drops significantly with LUS score above 11. Conclusions: In our experience of COVID-19 HD patients, LUS appeared to be an effective and easy tool, predicting the need for NIV and mortality better than "classic" known COVID-19 risk factors such as age, diabetes, male sex and obesity, and even better than inflammations indices such as CRP and IL-6. These results are consistent with those of the studies in the emergency room setting, but with a lower LUS score cut-off (11 vs 16-18). This is probably due to the higher global frailty and peculiarity of HD population, and emphasizes how nephrologists should themselves use LUS and POCUS as a part of their everyday clinical practice, adapting it to the peculiarity of the HD ward.

Point-of-care Lung Ultrasound, Lung CT and NEWS to Predict Adverse Outcomes and Mortality in COVID-19 Associated Pneumonia.

Introduction: The appraisal of disease severity and prediction of adverse outcomes using risk stratification tools at early disease stages is crucial to diminish mortality from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). While lung ultrasound (LUS) as an imaging technique for the diagnosis of lung diseases has recently gained a leading position, data demonstrating that it can predict adverse outcomes related to COVID-19 is scarce. The main aim of this study is therefore to assess the clinical significance of bedside LUS in COVID-19 patients who presented to the emergency department (ED). Methods: Patients with a confirmed diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia admitted to the ED of our hospital between March 2021 and May 2021 and who underwent a 12-zone LUS and a lung computed tomography scan were included prospectively. Logistic regression and Cox proportional hazard models were used to predict adverse events, which was our primary outcome. The secondary outcome was to discover the association of LUS score and computed tomography severity score (CT-SS) with the composite endpoints. Results: We assessed 234 patients [median age 59.0 (46.8-68.0) years; 59.4% M), including 38 (16.2%) in-hospital deaths for any cause related to COVID-19. Higher LUS score and CT-SS was found to be associated with ICU admission, intubation, and mortality. The LUS score predicted mortality risk within each stratum of NEWS. Pairwise analysis demonstrated that after adjusting a base prediction model with LUS score, significantly higher accuracy was observed in predicting both ICU admission (DBA -0.067, P = .011) and in-hospital mortality (DBA -0.086, P = .017). Conclusion: Lung ultrasound can be a practical prediction tool during the course of COVID-19 and can quantify pulmonary involvement in ED settings. It is a powerful predictor of ICU admission, intubation, and mortality and can be used as an alternative for chest computed tomography while monitoring COVID-19-related adverse outcomes.

Applicability of lung ultrasound in the assessment of COVID-19 pneumonia: Diagnostic accuracy and clinical correlations.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to assess the diagnostic accuracy of lung ultrasound (LUS) in determining the severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia compared with thoracic computed tomography (CT) and establish the correlations between LUS score, inflammatory markers, and percutaneous oxygen saturation (SpO2). METHODS: This prospective observational study, conducted at Târgu-Mureș Pulmonology Clinic included 78 patients with confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 infection via nasopharyngeal real-time-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) (30 were excluded). Enrolled patients underwent CT, LUS, and blood tests on admission. Lung involvement was evaluated in 16 thoracic areas, using AB1 B2 C (letters represent LUS pattern) scores ranging 0-48. RESULTS: LUS revealed bilateral B-lines (97.8%), pleural irregularities with thickening/discontinuity (75%), and subpleural consolidations (70.8%). Uncommon sonographic patterns were alveolar consolidations with bronchogram (33%) and pleural effusion (2%). LUS score cutoff values of ≤14 and > 22 predicted mild COVID-19 (sensitivity [Se] = 84.6%; area under the curve [AUC] = 0.72; P = 0.002) and severe COVID-19 (Se = 50%, specificity (Sp) = 91.2%, AUC = 0.69; P = 0.02), respectively, and values > 29 predicted the patients' transfer to the intensive care unit (Se = 80%, Sp = 97.7%). LUS score positively correlated with CT score (r = 0.41; P = 0.003) and increased with the decrease of SpO2 (r = -0.49; P = 0.003), with lymphocytes decline (r = -0.52; P = 0.0001). Patients with consolidation patterns had higher ferritin and C-reactive protein than those with B-line patterns (P = 0.01; P = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: LUS is a useful, non-invasive and effective tool for diagnosis, monitoring evolution, and prognostic stratification of COVID-19 patients.

Current Advances in Lung Ultrasound in COVID-19 Critically Ill Patients: A Narrative Review.

Lung ultrasound (LUS) has a relatively recent democratization due to the better availability and training of physicians, especially in intensive care units. LUS is a relatively cheap and easy-to-learn and -use bedside technique that evaluates pulmonary morphology when using simple algorithms. During the global COVID-19 pandemic, LUS was found to be an accurate tool to quickly diagnose, triage and monitor patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive review of LUS use during the COVID-19 pandemic. The first section of our work defines the technique, the practical approach and the semeiotic signs of LUS examination. The second section exposed the COVID-19 pattern in LUS examination and the difference between the differential diagnosis patterns and the well-correlation found with computer tomography scan findings. In the third section, we described the utility of LUS in the management of COVID-19 patients, allowing an early diagnosis and triage in the emergency department, as the monitoring of pneumonia course (pneumonia progression, alveolar recruitment, mechanical ventilation weaning) and detection of secondary complications (pneumothorax, superinfection). Moreover, we describe the usefulness of LUS as a marker of the prognosis of COVID-19 pneumonia in the fourth section. Finally, the 5th part is focused on describing the interest of the LUS, as a non-ionized technique, in the management of pregnant COVID-19 women.

ECHOPAEDIA: Echography in Paediatric Patients in the Age of Coronavirus Disease 2019: Utility of Lung Ultrasound and Chest X-Ray in Diagnosis of Community-Acquired Pneumonia and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Pneumonia.

Background: In recent years, lung ultrasound (LUS) has spread to emergency departments and clinical practise gaining great support, especially in time of pandemic, but only a few studies have been done on children. The aim of the present study is to compare the diagnostic accuracy of LUS (using Soldati LUS score) and that of chest X-ray (CXR) in CAP and COVID-19 pneumonia in paediatric patients. Secondary objective of the study is to examine the association between LUS score and disease severity. Finally, we describe the local epidemiology of paediatric CAP during the study period in the era of COVID-19 by comparing it with the previous 2 years. Methods: This is an observational retrospective single-centre study carried out on patients aged 18 or younger and over the month of age admitted to the Paediatric Unit of our Foundation for suspected community-acquired pneumonia or SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia during the third pandemic wave of COVID-19. Quantitative variables were elaborated with Shapiro-Wilks test or median and interquartile range (IQR). Student's t-test was used for independent data. Association between quantitative data was evaluated with Pearson correlation. ROC curve analysis was used to calculate best cut-off of LUS score in paediatric patients. Area under the ROC curve (AUC), sensibility, and specificity are also reported with 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: The diagnostic accuracy of the LUS score in pneumonia, the area underlying the ROC curve (AUC) was 0.67 (95% CI: 0.27-1) thus showing a discrete discriminatory power, with a sensitivity of 89.66% and specificity 50% setting a LUS score greater than or equal to 1 as the best cut-off. Nine patients required oxygen support and a significant statistical correlation (p = 0.0033) emerged between LUS score and oxygen therapy. The mean LUS score in patients requiring oxygen therapy was 12. RCP was positively correlated to the patient's LUS score (p = 0.0024). Conclusions: Our study has shown that LUS is a valid alternative to CXR. Our results show how LUS score can be applied effectively for the diagnosis and stratification of paediatric pneumonia.

Lung Ultrasonography for Risk Stratification in Patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): A Prospective Observational Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Lung ultrasonography (LUS) is a promising pragmatic risk-stratification tool in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This study describes and compares LUS characteristics between patients with different clinical outcomes. METHODS: Prospective observational study of polymerase chain reaction-confirmed adults with COVID-19 with symptoms of lower respiratory tract infection in the emergency department (ED) of Lausanne University Hospital. A trained physician recorded LUS images using a standardized protocol. Two experts reviewed images blinded to patient outcome. We describe and compare early LUS findings (≤24 hours of ED presentation) between patient groups based on their 7-day outcome (1) outpatients, (2) hospitalized, and (3) intubated/dead. Normalized LUS score was used to discriminate between groups. RESULTS: Between 6 March and 3 April 2020, we included 80 patients (17 outpatients, 42 hospitalized, and 21 intubated/dead). Seventy-three patients (91%) had abnormal LUS (70% outpatients, 95% hospitalized, and 100% intubated/dead; P = .003). The proportion of involved zones was lower in outpatients compared with other groups (median [IQR], 30% [0-40%], 44% [31-70%], 70% [50-88%]; P < .001). Predominant abnormal patterns were bilateral and there was multifocal spread thickening of the pleura with pleural line irregularities (70%), confluent B lines (60%), and pathologic B lines (50%). Posterior inferior zones were more often affected. Median normalized LUS score had a good level of discrimination between outpatients and others with area under the ROC of .80 (95% CI, .68-.92). CONCLUSIONS: Systematic LUS has potential as a reliable, cheap, and easy-to-use triage tool for the early risk stratification in patients with COVID-19 presenting to EDs.

Deep learning and lung ultrasound for Covid-19 pneumonia detection and severity classification.

The Covid-19 European outbreak in February 2020 has challenged the world's health systems, eliciting an urgent need for effective and highly reliable diagnostic instruments to help medical personnel. Deep learning (DL) has been demonstrated to be useful for diagnosis using both computed tomography (CT) scans and chest X-rays (CXR), whereby the former typically yields more accurate results. However, the pivoting function of a CT scan during the pandemic presents several drawbacks, including high cost and cross-contamination problems. Radiation-free lung ultrasound (LUS) imaging, which requires high expertise and is thus being underutilised, has demonstrated a strong correlation with CT scan results and a high reliability in pneumonia detection even in the early stages. In this study, we developed a system based on modern DL methodologies in close collaboration with Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo's Emergency Department (ED) of Pavia. Using a reliable dataset comprising ultrasound clips originating from linear and convex probes in 2908 frames from 450 hospitalised patients, we conducted an investigation into detecting Covid-19 patterns and ranking them considering two severity scales. This study differs from other research projects by its novel approach involving four and seven classes. Patients admitted to the ED underwent 12 LUS examinations in different chest parts, each evaluated according to standardised severity scales. We adopted residual convolutional neural networks (CNNs), transfer learning, and data augmentation techniques. Hence, employing methodological hyperparameter tuning, we produced state-of-the-art results meeting F1 score levels, averaged over the number of classes considered, exceeding 98%, and thereby manifesting stable measurements over precision and recall.

Lung ultrasound presentation of COVID-19 patients: phenotypes and correlations.

Bedside lung ultrasound (LUS) can play a role in the setting of the SarsCoV2 pneumonia pandemic. To evaluate the clinical and LUS features of COVID-19 in the ED and their potential prognostic role, a cohort of laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 patients underwent LUS upon admission in the ED. LUS score was derived from 12 fields. A prevalent LUS pattern was assigned depending on the presence of interstitial syndrome only (Interstitial Pattern), or evidence of subpleural consolidations in at least two fields (Consolidation Pattern). The endpoint was 30-day mortality. The relationship between hemogasanalysis parameters and LUS score was also evaluated. Out of 312 patients, only 36 (11.5%) did not present lung involvment, as defined by LUS score < 1. The majority of patients were admitted either in a general ward (53.8%) or in intensive care unit (9.6%), whereas 106 patients (33.9%) were discharged from the ED. In-hospital mortality was 25.3%, and 30-day survival was 67.6%. A LUS score > 13 had a 77.2% sensitivity and a 71.5% specificity (AUC 0.814; p < 0.001) in predicting mortality. LUS alterations were more frequent (64%) in the posterior lower fields. LUS score was related with P/F (R2 0.68; p < 0.0001) and P/F at FiO2 = 21% (R2 0.59; p < 0.0001). The correlation between LUS score and P/F was not influenced by the prevalent ultrasound pattern. LUS represents an effective tool in both defining diagnosis and stratifying prognosis of COVID-19 pneumonia. The correlation between LUS and hemogasanalysis parameters underscores its role in evaluating lung structure and function.

Prognostic value of bedside lung ultrasound score in patients with COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: Bedside lung ultrasound (LUS) has emerged as a useful and non-invasive tool to detect lung involvement and monitor changes in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, the clinical significance of the LUS score in patients with COVID-19 remains unknown. We aimed to investigate the prognostic value of the LUS score in patients with COVID-19. METHOD: The LUS protocol consisted of 12 scanning zones and was performed in 280 consecutive patients with COVID-19. The LUS score based on B-lines, lung consolidation and pleural line abnormalities was evaluated. RESULTS: The median time from admission to LUS examinations was 7 days (interquartile range [IQR] 3-10). Patients in the highest LUS score group were more likely to have a lower lymphocyte percentage (LYM%); higher levels of D-dimer, C-reactive protein, hypersensitive troponin I and creatine kinase muscle-brain; more invasive mechanical ventilation therapy; higher incidence of ARDS; and higher mortality than patients in the lowest LUS score group. After a median follow-up of 14 days [IQR, 10-20 days], 37 patients developed ARDS, and 13 died. Patients with adverse outcomes presented a higher rate of bilateral involvement; more involved zones and B-lines, pleural line abnormalities and consolidation; and a higher LUS score than event-free survivors. The Cox models adding the LUS score as a continuous variable (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.05, 95% confidence intervals [CI] 1.02 ~ 1.08; P < 0.001; Akaike information criterion [AIC] = 272; C-index = 0.903) or as a categorical variable (HR 10.76, 95% CI 2.75 ~ 42.05; P = 0.001; AIC = 272; C-index = 0.902) were found to predict poor outcomes more accurately than the basic model (AIC = 286; C-index = 0.866). An LUS score cut-off > 12 predicted adverse outcomes with a specificity and sensitivity of 90.5% and 91.9%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The LUS score devised by our group performs well at predicting adverse outcomes in patients with COVID-19 and is important for risk stratification in COVID-19 patients.

Lung ultrasound as diagnostic tool for SARS-CoV-2 infection.

The aim of this study was to explore the role of lung ultrasound (LUS) in the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection and to verify its utility in the prediction of lung disease's severity and outcome. Fifty-three consecutive patients presenting to the Emergency Department of Santa Maria delle Grazie Hospital with high suspicion of SARS-CoV-2 infection underwent diagnostic test for SARS-CoV-2 on samples obtained from nasopharyngeal swab as well as complete proper diagnostic work-up that included clinical evaluation, laboratory tests, blood gas analyses, chest CT and LUS. A semiquantitative analysis of B-lines distribution was performed to calculate the LUS score. Patients were divided into two groups according to the results of both SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic test and other exams (Group A = pneumonia due to SARS-CoV2 infection vs Group B = no SARS-CoV2 infection and another definite diagnosis). LUS showed an excellent accuracy in predicting the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection (area under the ROC curve of 0.92 with a sensibility of 73% and a specificity of 89% a the cut-off of 12.5). LUS score was more impaired in SARS-CoV-2 patients (18.1 ± 6.0 vs 7.6 ± 5.9, p < 0.00001) and it is significantly negatively correlated with PF ratio values (r = - 0.719, p < 0.0001). An intrahospital mortality rate of 46% was found; patients with adverse outcome had significant higher value of LUS, PF, LDH, and APACHE II score. None of these parameters was predictive of mortality. LUS is a useful tool for the early detection of SARS-CoV-2 infection and for the evaluation of the disease severity, but does not predict mortality. Further studies with repeated evaluations of LUS score are needed to further explore the role of LUS in the assessment of severity in SARS-CoV-2 disease and in the monitoring of the response to treatments.

COVID-19 Assessment with Bedside Lung Ultrasound in a Population of Intensive Care Patients Treated with Mechanical Ventilation and ECMO.

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the need for an accessible, point-of-care and accurate imaging modality for pulmonary assessment. COVID-19 pneumonia is mainly monitored with chest X-ray, however, lung ultrasound (LUS) is an emerging tool for pulmonary evaluation. In this study, patients with verified COVID-19 disease hospitalized at the intensive care unit and treated with ventilator and extracorporal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) were evaluated with LUS for pulmonary changes. LUS findings were compared to C-reactive protein (CRP) and ventilator settings. Ten patients were included and scanned the day after initiation of ECMO and thereafter every second day until, if possible, weaned from ECMO. In total 38 scans adding up to 228 cineloops were recorded and analyzed off-line with the use of a constructed LUS score. The study indicated that patients with a trend of lower LUS scores over time were capable of being weaned from ECMO. LUS score was associated to CRP (R = 0.34; p < 0.03) and compliance (R = 0.60; p < 0.0001), with the strongest correlation to compliance. LUS may be used as a primary imaging modality for pulmonary assessment reducing the use of chest X-ray in COVID-19 patients treated with ventilator and ECMO.