Abstract
OBJECTIVE To describe if weekly determined lung ultrasound (LU) scores
in preterm infants born before 32 weeks (PTB32W) change with diuretic
therapy. DESIGN This is a secondary analysis of a prospective study
about weekly performed LU in PTB32W: we included infants who received
diuretics, and compared LU scores according to their evolution on
respiratory support (RS) before and after diuretics. RESULTS We included
17 PTB32W. Both groups were similar in terms of median gestational age:
26 weeks (interquartile rank (IQR) 25-28) in the responders group, and
27 weeks (IQR 25-29) in the other; but different in median number of
days on invasive mechanical ventilation: 27 (IQR 11-43) vs. 76 (IQR
35-117) in the non-responders group, p=0.03; and number of infants with
moderate-severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia: 2 (25%) vs. 8 (89%),
p=0.005. The responders group showed lower LU scores at one week after
diuretics: median LU score 3 (IQR 0-10) vs. 12 (IQR 12-12) in the
non-responders group, p=0.04; and after three weeks of treatment: median
value 6 (IQR 3-6) in the responders group vs. 12 (10-15) in the
non-responders group, p=0.01. The decrease in RS was achieved since the
beginning of diuretics: 4 out of 8 (50%) were extubated in the
responders group, and 8 out of 9 (11%) in the non-responders group,
p=0.048. CONCLUSIONS There is a group of PTB32W whose LU score improves
after diuretics. This change appears later than that observed in the RS.