Prognostic value of pulmonary ultrasound during the readmittance of patients with heart failure

Abstract

Heart failure (HF) is a clinical syndrome characterized by signs and/or symptoms caused by a functional and/or structural abnormality of the heart, capable of generating congestion. It can be corroborated through the ProBNP, Chest X-ray. Echocardiography and Pulmonary Ultrasound (PU). EP can currently be used to measure pulmonary vascular congestion by counting B lines (BL). This method is radiation-free, practical to perform, and is the most sensitive and specific when talking about pulmonary congestion, it can be easily performed at the patient's bedside, it has a fast-learning curve, so it does not require expert hands to be performed. Objective: To determine the usefulness of Pulmonary Ultrasound as a predictor of readmission due to acute heart failure at three months.

An observational, longitudinal, prospective and analytical study was carried out. Male and female patients between the ages of 18 and 80 who were admitted to the Coronary Unit of the Italian Hospital of Córdoba, between July 2021 and March 2023, under the diagnosis of acute heart failure were included. A PU was performed prior to discharge, counting the amount of BL. Readmission was evaluated and compared with the number of BL prior to discharge.

Data from 29 patients were analyzed. There were 5 patients who required readmission at three months (17%) and 2 died at three months (7%). This last group had >15 B lines, while no deaths were recorded in patients with <15 B lines (p-value: 0.1568). All patients who were reintroduced at 3 months (n=5) had >15 B lines. While the patients who were not readmitted presented <15 LB (p-value: 0.0421).

Pulmonary Ultrasound  was a good predictor of readmission for HF, since patients with more than 15 B lines had a higher readmission rate at 3 months.