Use of pulmonary ultrasound to predict in-hospital mortality in patients with COVID-19 infection

Lung ultrasound (LUS) implementation in patients with COVID-19 can help to establish the degree of pulmonary involvement, evaluate treatment response and estimate in-hospital outcome. To evaluate the application of a LUS protocol in patients with COVID-19 infection to predict in-hospital mortality. The study was carried out from April 1 to August 1, 2020 in patients with COVID-19 infection admitted to the Intensive Care Unit. Lung evaluation was carried out by physicians trained in critical care ultrasonography. Most patients were males, median age was 56 years, and 59 % required mechanical ventilation. In-hospital mortality was 39.4 %, and in those with a LUS score ≥ 19, mortality was higher (50 %). The multiple logistic regression model showed that a LUS score ≥ 19 was significantly associated with mortality (hazard ratio = 2.55, p = 0.01). LUS is a safe and fast clinical tool that can be applied at bedside in patients with COVID-19 infection to establish the degree of parenchymal involvement and predict mortality.