Evaluating Stable Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease by Ultrasound

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the relationship between COPD severity and the diaphragmatic function measured by point-of-care US in patients with stable COPD.

A total of 61 patients with COPD and 40 healthy subjects who had been admitted to Ufuk University Hospital between December 2018 and May 2019 were enrolled. Point-of-care US was performed, and lung silhouette and anterior, right, and left hemidiaphragm method in M-mode were used to evaluate the diaphragm.

The point-of-care US measurements, lung silhouette method right (Lung Sil R), lung silhouette method left (Lung Sil L), right hemidiaphragm US method in B-mode (Ant B-Mode R), and right hemidiaphragm US method in M-mode (Ant M-Mode R), were significantly different among groups (P < 0.001 for each). FEV1 was strongly correlated with Lung Sil R, Lung Sil L, Ant B-Mode R, and Ant M-Mode R (r = 0.963, P < 0.001; r = 0.956, P < 0.001; r = 0.953, P < 0.001; and r = 0.917, and P < 0.001, respectively). Negative correlations were detected between the number of exacerbations per year and Lung Sil R and the number of exacerbations per year and Ant M-Mode R (r = -0.599, P < 0.001 and r = -0.587, and P < 0.001, respectively).

In this study, FEV1 and annual number of exacerbations turned out to be strongly correlated US findings. The use of US in COPD patients could help to support clinical decision, but further clinical studies are necessary to confirm those findings.