Future Science OA (Jan 2021)

The use of chest ultrasonography in suspected cases of COVID-19 in the emergency department

  • Enrico Allegorico,
  • Carlo Buonerba,
  • Giorgio Bosso,
  • Antonio Pagano,
  • Giovanni Porta,
  • Claudia Serra,
  • Pasquale Dolce,
  • Valentina Minerva,
  • Ferdinando Dello Vicario,
  • Concetta Altruda,
  • Paola Arbo,
  • Teresa Russo,
  • Chiara De Sio,
  • Nicoletta Franco,
  • Gianluca Ruffa,
  • Cinzia Mormile,
  • Francesca Cannavacciuolo,
  • Valentina Mercurio,
  • Gelsomina Gervasio,
  • Giuseppe Di Costanzo,
  • Alfonso Ragozzino,
  • Luca Scafuri,
  • Gaetano Facchini,
  • Fabio Numis

DOI
https://doi.org/10.2144/fsoa-2020-0127
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 7, no. 1

Abstract

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Aim: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus-specific reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) represents the diagnostic gold standard. We explored the value of chest ultrasonography to predict positivity to SARS-CoV-2 on RT-PCR in suspected COVID-19 cases. Patients & methods: Consecutive patients with suspect COVID-19 were included if they had fever and/or history of cough and/or dyspnea. Lung ultrasound score (LUSS) was computed according to published methods. Results: A total of 76 patients were included. A 3-variable model based on aspartate transaminase (AST) > upper limit of normal, LUSS >12 and body temperature >37.5°C yielded an overall accuracy of 91%. Conclusion: A simple LUSS-based model may represent a powerful tool for initial assessment in suspected cases of COVID-19.

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