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Objectives: Point‐of‐care ultrasound (POCUS) detects the pulmonary manifestations of COVID‐19 and may predict patient outcomes. Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study at four hospitals from March 2020 to January 2021 to evaluate lung POCUS and clinical outcomes of COVID‐19. Inclusion criteria included adult patients hospitalized for COVID‐19 who received lung POCUS with a 12‐zone protocol. Each image was interpreted by two reviewers blinded to clinical outcomes. Our primary outcome was the need for intensive care unit (ICU) admission versus no ICU admission. Secondary outcomes included intubation and supplemental oxygen usage. Results: N = 160 patients were included. Among critically ill patients, B‐lines (94 vs 76%; P <.01) and consolidations (70 vs 46%; P <.01) were more common. For scans collected within 24 hours of admission (N = 101 patients), early B‐lines (odds ratio [OR] 4.41 [95% confidence interval, CI: 1.71–14.30]; P <.01) or consolidations (OR 2.49 [95% CI: 1.35–4.86]; P <.01) were predictive of ICU admission. Early consolidations were associated with oxygen usage after discharge (OR 2.16 [95% CI: 1.01–4.70]; P =.047). Patients with a normal scan within 24 hours of admission were less likely to require ICU admission (OR 0.28 [95% CI: 0.09–0.75]; P <.01) or supplemental oxygen (OR 0.26 [95% CI: 0.11–0.61]; P <.01). Ultrasound findings did not dynamically change over a 28‐day scanning window after symptom onset. Conclusions: Lung POCUS findings detected within 24 hours of admission may provide expedient risk stratification for important COVID‐19 clinical outcomes, including future ICU admission or need for supplemental oxygen. Conversely, a normal scan within 24 hours of admission appears protective. POCUS findings appeared stable over a 28‐day scanning window, suggesting that these findings, regardless of their timing, may have clinical implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Lung ultrasound (LUS) can accurately diagnose several pulmonary diseases, including pneumothorax, effusion, and pneumonia. LUS may be useful in the diagnosis and management of COVID‐19. Methods: This study was conducted at two United States hospitals from 3/21/2020 to 6/01/2020. Our inclusion criteria included hospitalized adults with COVID‐19 (based on symptomatology and a confirmatory RT‐PCR for SARS‐CoV‐2) who received a LUS. Providers used a 12‐zone LUS scanning protocol. The images were interpreted by the researchers based on a pre‐developed consensus document. Patients were stratified by clinical deterioration (defined as either ICU admission, invasive mechanical ventilation, or death within 28 days from the initial symptom onset) and time from symptom onset to their scan. Results: N = 22 patients (N = 36 scans) were included. Eleven (50%) patients experienced clinical deterioration. Among N = 36 scans, only 3 (8%) were classified as normal. The remaining scans demonstrated B‐lines (89%), consolidations (56%), pleural thickening (47%), and pleural effusion (11%). Scans from patients with clinical deterioration demonstrated higher percentages of bilateral consolidations (50 versus 15%; P =.033), anterior consolidations (47 versus 11%; P =.047), lateral consolidations (71 versus 29%; P =.030), pleural thickening (69 versus 30%; P =.045), but not B‐lines (100 versus 80%; P =.11). Abnormal findings had similar prevalences between scans collected 0–6 days and 14–28 days from symptom onset. Discussion: Certain LUS findings may be common in hospitalized COVID‐19 patients, especially for those that experience clinical deterioration. These findings may occur anytime throughout the first 28 days of illness. Future efforts should investigate the predictive utility of these findings on clinical outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared.