Lung ultrasound B-lines in exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Lung Ultrasound to Assess Pulmonary Congestion in Patients with Acute Exacerbation of COPD

Purpose

Heart failure (HF) often coexists with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and is associated with worse outcomes. We aimed to assess the feasibility of detecting vertical artifacts (B-lines) on lung ultrasound (LUS) to identify concurrent HF in patients hospitalized with acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD). Second, we wanted to assess the association between B-lines and the risk of rehospitalization for AECOPD or death.

Patients and Methods

In a prospective cohort study, 123 patients with AECOPD underwent 8-zone bedside LUS within 24h after admission. A positive LUS was defined by ≥3 B-lines in ≥2 zones bilaterally. The ability to detect concurrent HF (adjudicated by a cardiologist committee) and association with events were evaluated by logistic- and Cox regression models.

Results

Forty-eight of 123 patients with AECOPD (age 75±9 years, 57[46%] men) had concurrent HF. Sixteen (13%) patients had positive LUS, and the prevalence of positive LUS was similar between patients with and without concurrent HF (8[17%] vs 8[11%], respectively, p=0.34). The number of B-lines was higher in concurrent HF: median 10(IQR 6-16) vs 7(IQR 5-12), p=0.03. The sensitivity and specificity for a positive LUS to detect concurrent HF were 17% and 89%, respectively. Positive LUS was not associated with rehospitalization and mortality: Adjusted HR: 0.93(0.49-1.75), p=0.81.

Conclusion

LUS did not detect concurrent HF or predict risk in patients with AECOPD.

Diagnostic value of pulmonary ultrasound in acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A pilot study

BACKGROUND

To evaluate the value of the pulmonary ultrasound for the diagnosis of acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) in emergency departments (EDs).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Between January 2018 and December 2019, patients admitted to the ED of Shanxi Provincial People's Hospital for suspected AECOPD were prospectively included in this study. Pulmonary ultrasound was performed using a linear transducer. The pulmonary ultrasound findings were evaluated for further discrimination for patients with AECOPD. Then, the diagnostic performance of pulmonary ultrasound was estimated and calculated. The clinical characteristics between groups with and without pneumonia were compared.

RESULTS

A total of 53 patients with AECOPD were included in the final analysis. For diagnosis of AECOPD due to pneumonia, ultrasound findings, such as consolidation, slightly rough pleural line, or irregular and interrupted pleural line had a sensitivity of 92.3% and a specificity of 86.7%. For diagnosis of AECOPD complicating pulmonary fibrosis, fringed pleural line had a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 97.5%. In addition, patients with pleural effusion (n=19) or pneumothorax (n=1) were correctly identified and wavy or bulging pleural lines were common in patients with AECOPD (58.5%, 31/53).

CONCLUSION

Ultrasound findings could offer further discrimination for AECOPD complications and other pathological conditions, such as pneumonia, pulmonary fibrosis, pleural effusion, and pneumothorax in EDs.

CORRELATION BETWEEN DIAPHRAGM EXCURSION WITH BOTH THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND EXERCISE CAPACITY FOR PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE STUDIED BY ULTRASOUND

Objective: To study the correlation between diaphragm excursion and both the quality of life and exercise capacity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by ultrasound and to reveal the factors affecting diaphragm excursion. Methods: A total of 42 COPD patients who were treated in our hospital from October 2015 to March 2020 and 42 healthy volunteers (control group) were included in the present study. The participants’ height, weight, and diaphragm excursion (the amplitude of diaphragm movement during deep breathing measured by M-mode ultrasound ([Formula: see text])), diaphragm movement time, degree of airflow obstruction (the forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) as a percentage of its predicted level, FEV1%pred), and exercise capacity (six-minute walk distance, 6MWD) were measured. The St. George’s Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) was used to evaluate the patients’ quality of life. The correlation between the amplitude of diaphragm movement and lung function was analyzed. The receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve was used to determine the COPD diagnosis efficacy of M-mode ultrasound, and its influencing factors were further analyzed. Results: During tidal breathing, the movement amplitudes of both hemidiaphragms in the COPD group were greater than those in the control group. During deep breathing, the movement amplitudes of both hemidiaphragms in the control group were greater than those in the COPD group. Moreover, during both tidal and deep breathing, the movement time of the right hemidiaphragm in the control group was longer than that in the COPD group (all P < 0.001). During deep breathing, the amplitude of diaphragm movement was positively correlated with FEV1 and FEV1%pred (both P < 0.001). During both tidal and deep breathing, the area under the ROC curve (AUC) for the diagnosis of COPD according to the diaphragm movement amplitude was 0.833 and 0.887, respectively, and the AUC for the diagnosis of COPD according to the diaphragm movement time was 0.625 and 0.732, respectively. The [Formula: see text] was correlated with the SGRQ score, symptom score, impact score, activity score, and 6MWD, with correlation coefficients of −0.474, −0.416, −0.432, −0.502, and 0.536, respectively. The factors affecting the [Formula: see text] were height ([Formula: see text], P < 0.001) and FEV1%pred ([Formula: see text], P < 0.001). Conclusion: The diaphragm excursion in COPD was closely related to patients’ quality of life. Height and FEV1%pred had the greatest impact on diaphragm excursion. The lower the diaphragm excursion of the patient, the worse their quality of life and the lower their exercise capacity.

COVID-19 Pneumonia: The Great Ultrasonography Mimicker

The pandemic spread of the new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 has raised the necessity to identify an appropriate imaging method for early diagnosis of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Chest computed tomography (CT) has been regarded as the mainstay of imaging evaluation for pulmonary involvement in the early phase of the pandemic. However, due to the poor specificity of the radiological pattern and the disruption of radiology centers' functionality linked to an excessive demand for exams, the American College of Radiology has advised against CT use for screening purposes. Lung ultrasound (LUS) is a point-of-care imaging tool that is quickly available and easy to disinfect. These advantages have determined a "pandemic" increase of its use for early detection of COVID-19 pneumonia in emergency departments. However, LUS findings in COVID-19 patients are even less specific than those detectable on CT scans. The scope of this perspective article is to discuss the great number of diseases and pathologic conditions that may mimic COVID-19 pneumonia on LUS examination.

Lung Ultrasound in the Diagnosis of COVID-19 Pneumonia: Not Always and Not Only What Is COVID-19 "Glitters"

Background: In the current coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, lung ultrasound (LUS) has been extensively employed to evaluate lung involvement and proposed as a useful screening tool for early diagnosis in the emergency department (ED), prehospitalization triage, and treatment monitoring of COVID-19 pneumonia. However, the actual effectiveness of LUS in characterizing lung involvement in COVID-19 is still unclear. Our aim was to evaluate LUS diagnostic performance in assessing or ruling out COVID-19 pneumonia when compared with chest CT (gold standard) in a population of SARS-CoV-2-infected patients. Methods: A total of 260 consecutive RT-PCR confirmed SARS-CoV-2-infected patients were included in the study. All the patients underwent both chest CT scan and concurrent LUS at admission, within the first 6-12 h of hospital stay. Results: Chest CT scan was considered positive when showing a "typical" or "indeterminate" pattern for COVID-19, according to the RSNA classification system. Disease prevalence for COVID-19 pneumonia was 90.77%. LUS demonstrated a sensitivity of 56.78% in detecting lung alteration. The concordance rate for the assessment of abnormalities by both methods increased in the case of peripheral distribution and middle-lower lung location of lesions and in cases of more severe lung involvement. A total of nine patients had a "false-positive" LUS examination. Alternative diagnosis included chronic heart disease (six cases), bronchiectasis (two cases), and subpleural emphysema (one case). LUS specificity was 62.50%. Collateral findings indicative of overlapping conditions at chest CT were recorded also in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia and appeared distributed with increasing frequency passing from the group with mild disease (17 cases) to that with severe disease (40 cases). Conclusions: LUS does not seem to be an adequate tool for screening purposes in the ED, due to the risk of missing some lesions and/or to underestimate the actual extent of the disease. Furthermore, the not specificity of LUS implies the possibility to erroneously classify pre-existing or overlapping conditions as COVID-19 pneumonia. It seems more safe to integrate a positive LUS examination with clinical, epidemiological, laboratory, and radiologic findings to suggest a "virosis." Viral testing confirmation is always required.

Clinical heterogeneity of a population of patients admitted to the Emergency Department with a diagnosis of COPD-exacerbation: Relevance of cardiovascular comorbidities

FEV1-based Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) severity does not account for the complexity of the disease. Recent studies point to the high frequency of comorbidities responsible for unfavorable outcomes. There is a lack of data on this concerning the patient evaluated in the emergency setting. Aim of the study was to prospectively evaluate patients admitted to the ED for “exacerbated COPD” to describe their clinical heterogeneity and the influence that it may have on outcomes: death, length of hospitalization, exacerbation recurrence. The following data were recorded: history, symptoms, blood gas analysis, laboratory and radiological findings and comorbidities. Each patient underwent electrocardiography, echocardiography and spirometry. In order to identify a correlation between these variables and the selected outcomes, a multivariate linear logistic regression analysis was carried out. This study was conducted on 41 eligible patients consecutively admitted to the emergency room for exacerbated COPD. A consistent proportion showed ECG, Echocardiographic and laboratory abnormalities. At spirometry a FEV1 <30% of predicted was detected in 37% of patients. Cardiovascular comorbidities came out to be very frequent (hypertension, heart failure and coronary artery disease in particular). The history of heart failure was related to the risk of re-hospitalization within three months, while pneumonia, a low pH and a low FEV1 predicted a hospital stay >7 days. Our study shows that the term “exacerbated COPD” underscores a heterogeneous population, with a high prevalence of cardiovascular comorbidities, which significantly influence outcomes. Multicenter studies are needed to better investigate the clinical relevance of these findings.

The Role of Transthoracic Ultrasound in the Study of Interstitial Lung Diseases: High-Resolution Computed Tomography Versus Ultrasound Patterns: Our Preliminary Experience

Transthoracic ultrasound (TUS) is a readily available imaging tool that can provide a quick real-time evaluation. The aim of this preliminary study was to establish a complementary role for this imaging method in the approach of interstitial lung diseases (ILDs). TUS examination was performed in 43 consecutive patients with pulmonary fibrosis and TUS findings were compared with the corresponding high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) scans. All patients showed a thickened hyperechoic pleural line, despite no difference between dominant HRCT patterns (ground glass, honeycombing, mixed pattern) being recorded (p > 0.05). However, pleural lines' thickening showed a significant difference between different HRCT degree of fibrosis (p < 0.001) and a negative correlation with functional parameters. The presence of >3 B-lines and subpleural nodules was also assessed in a large number of patients, although they did not demonstrate any particular association with a specific HRCT finding or fibrotic degree. Results allow us to suggest a complementary role for TUS in facilitating an early diagnosis of ILD or helping to detect a possible disease progression or eventual complications during routine clinical practice (with pleural line measurements and subpleural nodules), although HRCT remains the gold standard in the definition of ILD pattern, disease extent and follow-up.

Assessing congestion in acute heart failure using cardiac and lung ultrasound - a review

Introduction: Acute heart failure (AHF) is one of the leading causes of hospital admissions and is characterized by systemic and pulmonary congestion, which often precedes the overt clinical signs and symptoms. Echocardiography in the management of chronic HF is well described; however, there are less evidence regarding echocardiography and lung ultrasound (LUS) in the acute setting.Areas covered: We have summarized current evidence regarding the use of echocardiography and LUS for assessing congestion in patients with AHF. We discuss the value and reliability of handheld/pocketsize ultrasound devices in AHF.Expert opinion: Echocardiography is an essential tool for the diagnostic work up in patients with AHF. No individual parameter reliably detects congestion, thus the physician must integrate several measurements from the right and left heart. Novel methods and advances in cardiac imaging and clinical chemistry make it possible to detect congestion at an early stage. LUS is particularly helpful in assessing congestion, and it has demonstrated diagnostic, therapeutic, and prognostic value in AHF. LUS is relatively easy to learn and allows for quick assessment of the presence of pulmonary congestion and pleural effusion. We recommend integration of LUS for routine management of patients with AHF.

Thoracic Imaging at Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Systematic Review

Exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are currently diagnosed based on changes in respiratory symptoms. Characterizing the imaging manifestation of exacerbations could be useful for objective diagnosis of exacerbations in the clinic and clinical trials, as well as provide a mechanism for monitoring exacerbation treatment and recovery. In this systematic review, we employed a comprehensive search across three databases (Medline, EMBASE, Web of Science) to identify studies that performed imaging of the thorax at COPD exacerbation. We included 51 from a total of 5,047 articles which met all our inclusion criteria. We used an adapted version of the Modified Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale for cohort studies to assess the quality of the included studies. Conclusions were weighted towards higher-quality articles. We identified a total of 36 thoracic imaging features studied at exacerbation of COPD. Studies were generally heterogeneous in their measurements and focus. Nevertheless, considering studies which performed consecutive imaging at stable state and exacerbation, which scored highest for quality, we identified salient imaging biomarkers of exacerbations. An exacerbation is characterized by airway wall and airway calibre changes, hyperinflation, pulmonary vasoconstriction and imaging features suggestive of pulmonary arterial hypertension. Most information was gained from CT studies. We present the first ever composite imaging signature of COPD exacerbations. While imaging during an exacerbation is comparatively new and not comprehensively studied, it may uncover important insights into the acute pathophysiologic changes in the cardiorespiratory system during exacerbations of COPD, providing objective confirmation of events and a biomarker of recovery and treatment response.

Point-of-care echocardiography - A road to future or a step backwards

Echocardiography (Echo) has a myriad of clinical applications. Traditionally, it was performed and interpreted by cardiologist but the scope of its applications has lead physicians of other specialities to learn this useful skill. One of the newer and expanding scope of echocardiography is point-of-care (POC) echocardiography. In this review article, we aim to discuss the clinical applications of POC echo, common protocols and its limitations. Despite its widespread use, there is paucity of data describing its clinical efficacy and there is lack of guidelines regarding credentialing and quality control of POC echo.