Usefulness of lung ultrasound in the early identification of severe COVID-19: results from a prospective study

AIM

There is growing evidence regarding the imaging findings of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in lung ultrasound (LUS); however, its role in predicting the prognosis has yet to be explored. The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between lung ultrasound findings with the degree of respiratory failure measured by the PaO2/FiO2 ratio (PaFi) andthe prognosis of these patients: need for non-invasive mechanical ventilation (NIMV), admission to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and mortality.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

Prospective, longitudinal and observational study performed in patients with confirmed COVID-19 underwent a LUS examination and laboratory tests.

RESULTS

A total of 107 patients were enrolled: 93.4% with bilateral involvement and 73.83% presented at least one consolidation. A good inverse correlation (Rho Spearman coefficient -0.897) between the ultrasound score and PaFi was obtained. The AUC for identification of patients with more severe respiratory failure, a moderate and severe ARDS, was 0.97 (CI 95%: 0.95-1) and a cut-off score of 34.5 showed a sensitivity of 0.94 and a specificity of 0.91. The Kappa index showed a high concordance (0.83) of the classification by ultrasound lunginvolvement and ARDS.

CONCLUSIONS

The combination of the ultrasound score and the presence of respiratory failure can easily identify patients with a higher risk to present complications.

Importance of Lung Ultrasound Follow-Up in Patients Who Had Recovered from Coronavirus Disease 2019: Results from a Prospective Study

There is growing evidence regarding the imaging findings of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in lung ultrasounds, however, their role in predicting the prognosis has yet to be explored. Our objective was to assess the usefulness of lung ultrasound in the short-term follow-up (1 and 3 months) of patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia, and to describe the progression of the most relevant lung ultrasound findings. We conducted a prospective, longitudinal and observational study performed in patients with confirmed COVID-19 who underwent a lung ultrasound examination during hospitalization and repeated it 1 and 3 months after hospital discharge. A total of 96 patients were enrolled. In the initial ultrasound, bilateral involvement was present in 100% of the patients with mild, moderate or severe ARDS. The most affected lung area was the posteroinferior (93.8%) followed by the lateral (88.7%). Subpleural consolidations were present in 68% of the patients and consolidations larger than 1 cm in 24%. One month after the initial study, only 20.8% had complete resolution on lung ultrasound. This percentage rose to 68.7% at 3 months. Residual lesions were observed in a significant percentage of patients who recovered from moderate or severe ARDS (32.4% and 61.5%, respectively). In conclusion, lung injury associated with COVID-19 might take time to resolve. The findings in this report support the use of lung ultrasound in the short-term follow-up of patients recovered from COVID-19, as a radiation-sparing, easy to use, novel care path worth exploring.

[Alternative CPAP methods for the treatment of secondary serious respiratory failure due to pneumonia by COVID-19]

Introducción

El uso de dispositivos que aportan presión positiva continua en la vía aérea ha demostrado mejoría en diversas patologías que producen insuficiencia respiratoria. En el episodio de pandemia por COVID-19, el uso de estos dispositivos se ha generalizado, pero, debido a la escasez de dispositivos convencionales de presión positiva continua en la vía aérea (CPAP), se han fabricado dispositivos alternativos. El objetivo de este estudio es describir el uso de estos, así como su eficacia.

Material y métodos

Se recogen datos de pacientes ingresados por neumonía por COVID-19 en el Hospital de Campaña de IFEMA, así como datos de pacientes con insuficiencia respiratoria y necesidad de soporte ventilatorio.

Resultados

Estudio realizado sobre un total de 23 pacientes, con fecha de ingreso de entre el 24 de marzo y el 28 de abril en IFEMA. Se empleó CPAP alternativa en cinco pacientes (21,7%), mientras que, en los 18 restantes (78,3%) se usó un soporte ventilatorio con mascarilla reservorio o Ventimask efecto Venturi. Se observó un aumento progresivo de la saturación en aquellos pacientes en los que se empleó CPAP alternativa (de 94% de promedio a 98 y 99% de promedio, tras 30 y 60 minutos con la máscara, respectivamente), aunque este cambio no resultó significativo (p = 0,058 y p = 0,122, respectivamente). De igual manera, no se observó un cambio significativo de frecuencia respiratoria al inicio y al final de la medición en pacientes que usaron CPAP alternativa (p = 0,423) pero sí entre los que no la usaron (p = 0,001). Se observó una mejoría estadísticamente significativa en la variable de saturación de oxígeno/fracción inspirado de oxígeno en los pacientes que usaron CPAP alternativa (p = 0,040).

Conclusión

El uso de estos dispositivos ha ayudado al trabajo ventilatorio de varios pacientes, mejorando sus parámetros de oxigenación. Para observar mejor la evolución de los pacientes sometidos a esta terapia y compararlos con pacientes con otro tipo de soporte ventilatorio, son necesarios más estudios en los que se aleatorice su uso.

Prognostic utility of bedside lung ultrasound before discharge in patients with acute heart failure with preserved ejection fraction

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

The utility of lung ultrasound as a prognostic tool for patients with acute heart failure is well known, but most studies have been conducted in mixed groups of patients with preserved and reduced ejection fraction. While some subgroup analysis suggests that lung ultrasound is useful regardless of ejection fraction, no specific studies have addressed this question. Our objective is to determine the utility of bedside lung ultrasound as a prognostic tool for patients with preserved ejection fraction, acute heart failure.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Prospective cohort study with 3-month follow-up after bedside lung ultrasound before discharge in patients hospitalized for acute heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. The number of Blines was determined. Two groups were formed: less than 15Blines (unexposed) and 15Blines or more (exposed). They were compared in terms of readmission and death attributable to worsening heart failure.

RESULTS

The exposed group was at higher risk of readmission (HR: 2.39; 95%CI: 1.12-5.12; P=.024), even after multivariable adjustment (HR: 2.46; 95%CI: 1.11-5.46, P=.03). Differences between groups in terms of mortality were not statistically significant (HR: 1.28; 95%CI: .23-6.98).

CONCLUSION

Subclinical congestion evaluated with lung ultrasound before discharge is associated with worse prognosis in patients with acute heart failure and preserved ejection fraction. Patients with 15Blines are 2.5times more likely to be readmitted for acute heart failure than less congestive patients.

High doses of systemic corticosteroids in patients hospitalised for exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. A cohort study

OBJECTIVES

To assess the effect of high doses of corticosteroids in patients hospitalised for exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A prospective cohort study was conducted on patients hospitalized with COPD between January and March 2015, grouped according to the glucocorticoid dosage administered (cutoff, 40mg of prednisone/day). We compared the results of hospital stay, readmission and mortality at 3 months of discharge.

RESULTS

We analysed 87 patients. The median daily dose was 60mg of prednisone (interquartile range, 46.67-82.33mg/day), and the administration route was intravenous in 96.6% of the cases. We established a relative risk (RR) for hospital stays longer than 8 days of 1.095 (95% CI 0.597-2.007; P=.765) when steroid dosages greater than 40mg/day were employed. In these patients, the hazard ratio (HR) for readmission in the 3 months after discharge was 0.903 (95% CI 0.392-2.082; P=.811), and the mortality was 1.832 (95% CI 0.229-16.645; P=.568). Neither the RR nor the HR varied in a statistically significant manner after adjusting for confounding factors.

CONCLUSIONS

A daily dose greater than 40mg of prednisone in patients hospitalised for COPD exacerbation was not associated with a shorter hospital stay or a reduction in readmissions or mortality at 3 months.

Rates of, and risk factors for, severe infections in patients with systemic autoimmune diseases receiving biological agents off-label

Introduction

The purpose of this observational study was to analyze the rates, characteristics and associated risk factors of severe infections in patients with systemic autoimmune diseases (SAD) who were treated off-label with biological agents in daily practice.

Methods

The BIOGEAS registry is an ongoing Spanish prospective cohort study investigating the long-term safety and efficacy of the off-label use of biological agents in adult patients with severe, refractory SAD. Severe infections were defined according to previous studies as those that required intravenous treatment or that led to hospitalization or death. Patients contributed person-years of follow-up for the period in which they were treated with biological agents.

Results

A total of 344 patients with SAD treated with biological agents off-label were included in the Registry until July 2010. The first biological therapies included rituximab in 264 (77%) patients, infliximab in 37 (11%), etanercept in 21 (6%), adalimumab in 19 (5%), and 'other' agents in 3 (1%). Forty-five severe infections occurred in 37 patients after a mean follow-up of 26.76 months. These infections resulted in four deaths. The crude rate of severe infections was 90.9 events/1000 person-years (112.5 for rituximab, 76.9 for infliximab, 66.9 for adalimumab and 30.5 for etanercept respectively). In patients treated with more than two courses of rituximab, the crude rate of severe infection was 226.4 events/1000 person-years. A pathogen was identified in 24 (53%) severe infections. The most common sites of severe infection were the lower respiratory tract (39%), bacteremia/sepsis (20%) and the urinary tract (16%). There were no significant differences relating to gender, SAD, agent, other previous therapies, number of previous immunosuppressive agents received or other therapies administered concomitantly. Cox regression analysis showed that age (P = 0.015) was independently associated with an increased risk of severe infection. Survival curves showed a lower survival rate in patients with severe infections (log-rank and Breslow tests < 0.001).

Conclusions

The rates of severe infections in SAD patients with severe, refractory disease treated depended on the biological agent used, with the highest rates being observed for rituximab and the lowest for etanercept. The rate of infection was especially high in patients receiving three or more courses of rituximab. In patients with severe infections, survival was significantly reduced. Older age was the only significant predictive factor of severe infection.