Early assessment of lung aeration using an ultrasound score as a biomarker of developing bronchopulmonary dysplasia: a prospective observational study

The objective of this study was to assess the predictive value of a lung ultrasound (LUS) score in the development of moderate–severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia (sBPD). This was a prospective observational diagnostic accuracy study in a third-level neonatal intensive care unit. Preterm infants with a gestational age below 32 weeks were included. A LUS score (range 0–24 points) was calculated by assessing aeration semiquantitatively (0–3 points) in eight lung zones on the 7th day of life (DOL) and repeated on the 28th DOL. ROC curves and logistic regression were used for analysis. Forty-two preterm infants were included. The LUS on the 7th DOL had an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of 0.94 (95% CI: 0.87–1) for the prediction of sBPD (optimal cutoff of ≥8 points: sensitivity 93%, specificity 91%). The LUS score was independently associated with sBPD [OR 2.1 (95% CI: 1.1–3.9), p = 0.022, for each additional point in the score]. Conclusions: Lung aeration as assessed by LUS on the 7th DOL may predict the development of sBPD.