Point-of-Care Thoracic Ultrasound in Children with Bronchiolitis

OBJECTIVE: To characterize thoracic (lung and diaphragm) ultrasound findings in children < 2 y with bronchiolitis, evaluate correlation between lung ultrasound severity score (USS) and bronchiolitis severity score (BSS), and study the interobserver agreement of USS between study pediatrician and radiologist. METHODS: In this prospective observational study, thoracic ultrasound was performed on children with bronchiolitis by the study pediatrician and USS score was assigned. A radiologist blinded to all clinical information, performed an independent thoracic ultrasound. Demographics, clinical course, and other relevant details were recorded. RESULTS: Fifty-three children were enrolled; 29/53 patients (54.7%) were classified as mild bronchiolitis and 24/53 (45.2%) had moderate bronchiolitis as per clinical score; 13.2% (7/53) patients had both anterior and posterior subpleural consolidation and went on to require higher respiratory support either in the form of continuous positive airway pressure in 71.4% (5/7), oxygen for > 24 h in 14.2% (1/7), or heated humidified high-flow nasal cannula in 14.2% (1/7). These results were statistically significant (p < 0.001). A statistically significant correlation was found between the USS and type and duration of respiratory support (p value 0.002) and with the mean duration of hospital stay (p value < 0.001). There was significant correlation between the BSS and USS (p < 0.001). There was a very good agreement between the ultrasound findings of study pediatrician and radiologist (kappa 0.83). CONCLUSION: The findings of lung ultrasound (LUS) are not specific for bronchiolitis. However, LUS can be used as a good prognostic tool in patients with bronchiolitis.