Abstract
We read the letter to the editor “B-lines score: artifacts as a sign of
neonatal specific disease?” by Quarato et al. and we are pleased by the
interest aroused by our article “Neonatal lung ultrasonography score
after surfactant in preterm infants: A prospective observational study”
published on your journal. This study included preterm neonates with
respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), requiring non-invasive ventilation
and surfactant. The aim of our citated study was to asses changes of a
validated neonatal lung ultrasonography score (nLUS) after surfactant
treatment. Our data demonstrate a lowering of the nLUS 2h and 12h after
surfactant treatment. In their letter to the editor Quarato et al.
expressed criticism about the nLUS score validation and about the
utility of the Lung Ultrasound (LUS) as a diagnostic tool. They conclude
that “LUS can be used only for diagnosing minimal pleural effusion and,
at least, as complementary imaging, in addiction to chest radiographs
(CR), for monitoring the reduction of subpleural pneumonitic
consolidations under therapy”. Our citated study hasn’t focused on
validation of the nLUS score or on LUS as a diagnostic tool for neonatal
RDS, so we don’t get how Quarato’s concerns can be addressed to our
paper. Nevertheless, finding the debate about nLUS or LUS in the
neonatal field an occasion to promote an improving in the care of the
preterm babies, we will discuss objections raised in Quadrato’s work,
point by point.