Lung ultrasound in the diagnosis and management of acute viral
bronchiolitis; a systematic review
Abstract
Objective: Acute viral bronchiolitis (AVB) is one of the most common
viral infections and the most common lower respiratory tract infection
in the first year of life. Current guidelines recommend that medical
history and physical examination have the main role in the diagnosis of
AVB. Lung ultrasound (LUS) has not been included in the diagnostic
algorithm so far. The aim of this systematic review is to collect all
available studies concerning the role of LUS in the diagnosis and
management of AVB. Methods: PubMed - MEDLINE, Scopus and ScienceDirect
databases were searched for trials reporting on LUS examination in the
diagnosis and management of AVB in paediatric patients. Results: A total
of seventeen studies matching our eligibility criteria were analyzed for
the purposes of this review and their results were categorized into six
major fields each one of them answering to a question. There are several
LUS scores that evaluate the severity of sonographic findings in
children with AVB. The findings on LUS and chest radiography are
comparable and LUS has a significant role in further management of AVB
in the Paediatric Emergency Department. LUS score is correlated to the
clinical course of AVB and it can predict both the duration of
hospitalization and the need for respiratory support. Conclusion:
Current literature supports that LUS could have comparable efficiency
with chest radiography concerning the diagnosis of AVB and it could
predict the length of hospital stay and the need of oxygen supply.