Ultrasound characteristics of the lung in patients diagnosed with severe community-acquired pneumonia

Abstract

Introduction: Lung ultrasound is a radiological technique of great importance for the diagnosis and monitoring of patients with pleuro-pulmonary diseases. Objective: To characterize patients with a diagnosis of severe community-acquired pneumonia according to lung ultrasound findings. Methods: An observational, descriptive and cross-sectional study was developed in 114 patients with a diagnosis of severe community-acquired pneumonia, from January 2021 to December 2023. Summary measures were used for each type of variable, Chi-square tests were used, Fisher's exact test and the Mann - Whitney U test for comparison between groups or exploration of association between variables, as appropriate. For each statistical test, a significance level a=0.05 was applied. Results: Bilaterally thickened pleura with 39.5 % was the most common lung ultrasound finding. The median for the total lung aeration scale was 19.0 points. An association was found between bilateral thickened pleura, bilateral subpleural microconsolidation, bilateral pleural effusion, bilateral shred sign and lung aeration scale with the status at discharge, with p<0.05. Conclusions: The thickening of the pleural line, the subpleural microconsolidation, the shred sign, the sign of the tissue, the pleural spill, and the pulmonary aeration scale with a score greater than 16 points are indicators of severe pneumonia acquired in the community.

Keywords

• diagnóstico por imagen
• neumonía
• pulmón
• ultrasonografía.