Lung and quadriceps ultrasound in the assessment of COPD exacerbation

<bold>Rationalle:</bold> Ultrasound is an increasingly accessible imaging technique. Some clinical practice guidelines propose performing lung ultrasound in the evaluation of patients with exacerbation of COPD. However, it is unknown to what extent this diagnostic test is useful in this group of patients. The objective of this study was to describe the characteristics of lung ultrasound performed in patients with COPD admitted due to a severe exacerbation. <bold>Methods:</bold> Multicenter observational study that included adult patients with severe exacerbation of COPD who required hospital admission. All patients underwent lung ultrasound (LUS-Score) and quadriceps ultrasound (QUS) within the first 24 hours of admission. Data analysis was performed with Jamovi. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. <bold>Results:</bold> 7 participating centers recruited 109 patients with COPD, of which 104 patients were finally included, with a mean age of 67.3 ± 9.6 years, 76% men and 44% active smokers. The diagnostic accuracy of the LUS-Score for radiological infiltrate was higher than that of inflammatory markers. We did not find significant differences in average length of stay, risk of readmission at 90 days or mortality according to the LUS-score. Patients with sarcopenia (QUS) had a higher DECAF score and a longer average hospital stay, without having a higher risk of readmission after 90 days. <bold>Conclusions:</bold> The LUS-Score has a high sensitivity in the diagnosis of pulmonary infiltrates. Patients with an ultrasound diagnosis of sarcopenia have greater severity according to the DECAF score and a longer hospital stay.