Prognostic value of extravascular lung water assessed with lung ultrasound score by chest sonography in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (BMC Pulmonary Medicine)

Background: The prognostic value of extravascular lung water indices (EVLWI) has been widely investigated, which is determined by lung ultrasound B-lines. However, the clinical value of lung ultrasound B-lines for determining prognosis/intensive care unit (ICU) outcomes in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) has been rarely reported. Methods: Twenty-one ARDS patients admitted to the ICU of Fu Xing Hospital underwent both lung ultrasonography and pulse index continuous cardiac output (PiCCO) monitoring on the first, second, and third days after diagnosis. The correlation between lung ultrasound score (LUS) and EVLWI measured by the PiCCO system was investigated. The prognostic clinical value of lung ultrasonography in ARDS patients was explored. Chest ultrasound was performed using the 12 regions method. The comprehensive score of lung ultrasound was determined according to the level of lung aeration. Results: With ICU mortality as the end point, 21 patients were divided into a survivor group (8 patients, 39.1 %) and a non-survivor group (13 patients, 61.9 %). Significant positive linear correlations were found between LUS and EVLWI, including predicted body weight (r 2  = 0.906), sequential organ failure assessment score (r 2  = 0.815), lung injury score (r 2  = 0.361), and PaO 2 /FiO 2 (r 2  = 0.472). Significantly different LUSs were found between the non-survivor and survivor groups (F = 77.64, P