Lung Ultrasound Score in evaluating the severity of pneumonia: A cohort study

• Grant number: 23/06584-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: September 01, 2023
• End date: August 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Medical Clinics
• Principal Investigator: Júlio César Garcia de Alencar
• Grantee: Lucas Foglieni Beloti
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Odontologia de Bauru (FOB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Bauru , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Pneumonia is the third leading cause of death in Brazil and in the world, and the first among infectious diseases. The use of clinical disease severity assessment scores to predict adverse outcomes has arguably improved patient care. However, although scores based on clinical and laboratory variables, such as the CURB-65 and the Pneumonia Severity Index, are accurate for defining the prognosis, the requirement for laboratory results makes it difficult to use them in emergency settings, especially in overloaded services. The Lung Ultrasound Score (LUS) is an ultrasound scoring system that measures the loss of lung aeration caused by different pathological conditions. Studies have already correlated the LUS score with severity in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and with clinical improvement in patients using antibiotic therapy. We propose a cohort study that will include patients over 18 years of age with a clinical-radiological diagnosis of pneumonia and that will evaluate the association between the LUS lung aeration score and mortality of patients admitted for pneumonia in emergency departments.