Bedside lung ultrasound score for prognosis in pediatric respiratory distress: A single-center prospective cohort study
Ininaki Naomi Lyngdoh, Chandrasekhar Singha, Ankur Ohri, Mani Raj, Tiajem Jamir, S. Harikrishnan, Rishabh SinghAbstract
Background:
Respiratory tract diseases are a leading cause of pediatric critical care admissions, and early bedside tools that predict clinical trajectory are needed. This study aimed to evaluate whether lung ultrasound (LUS) scores could predict the need for oxygen support, duration of oxygen therapy, intensive care unit (ICU), length of stay, and mortality in children with respiratory distress.
Subjects and Methods:
We enrolled 101 children with respiratory distress or failure in a prospective observational study. Lung USG was done at 6–18 h and 48–72 h of admission in the pediatric ICU (PICU), and the lung USG score was taken. The primary outcomes were modality of respiratory support, S/F ratio, oxygen duration, PICU length of stay, and mortality.
Results:
Median age was 3.42 years (interquartile range 0.75–6.92); 58.4% were male. Higher LUS scores at 6-18 h and 48-72 h were strongly associated with higher oxygen support level (
Conclusions:
LUS scores at 6–18 h and 48–72 h after PICU admission were correlated with oxygen support needs, duration of oxygen therapy, ICU length of stay, and mortality in children with respiratory distress. Bedside LUS and LUS scores provide a noninvasive measure of disease severity and are associated with clinically relevant adverse outcomes.