AUTHOR=Vetrugno Luigi , Sala Alessia , Orso Daniele , Meroi Francesco , Fabbro Sebastiano , Boero Enrico , Valent Francesca , Cammarota Gianmaria , Restaino Stefano , Vizzielli Giuseppe , Girometti Rossano , Merelli Maria , Tascini Carlo , Bove Tiziana , Driul Lorenza ,  The PINK-CO study investigators , Mattuzzi Lisa , Marin Matteo , D'Andrea Natascia , Zanini Victor , Divella Michele , Occhiali Tommaso , Barbui Elisa , Codutti Enrica , Fosca Elisa , Nanino Michela , Scaiella Giuliana , Berchialla Paola 

TITLE=Lung Ultrasound Signs and Their Correlation With Clinical Symptoms in COVID-19 Pregnant Women: The “PINK-CO” Observational Study

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Medicine

VOLUME=8

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/medicine/articles/10.3389/fmed.2021.768261

DOI=10.3389/fmed.2021.768261

ISSN=2296-858X

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Objective</title><p>To analyze the application of lung ultrasound (LUS) diagnostic approach in obstetric patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and compare LUS score and symptoms of the patients.</p></sec><sec><title>Design</title><p>A single-center observational retrospective study from October 31, 2020 to March 31, 2021.</p></sec><sec><title>Setting</title><p>Department of Ob/Gyn at the University-Hospital of Udine, Italy.</p></sec><sec><title>Participants</title><p>Pregnant women with SARS-CoV-2 diagnosed with reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) swab test were subdivided as symptomatic and asymptomatic patients with COVID-19.</p></sec><sec><title>Exposure</title><p>Lung ultrasound evaluation both through initial evaluation upon admission and through serial evaluations.</p></sec><sec><title>Main Outcome</title><p>Reporting LUS findings and LUS score characteristics.</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>Symptomatic patients with COVID-19 showed a higher LUS (median 3.5 vs. 0, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001). LUS was significantly correlated with COVID-19 biomarkers as C-reactive protein (CPR; <italic>p</italic> = 0.011), interleukin-6 (<italic>p</italic> = 0.013), and pro-adrenomedullin (<italic>p</italic> = 0.02), and inversely related to arterial oxygen saturation (<italic>p</italic> = 0.004). The most frequent ultrasound findings were focal B lines (14 vs. 2) and the light beam (9 vs. 0).</p></sec><sec><title>Conclusion</title><p>Lung ultrasound can help to manage pregnant women with SARS-CoV-2 infection during a pandemic surge.</p></sec><sec><title>Study Registration</title><p><ext-link ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="https://ClinicalTrials.gov" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">ClinicalTrials.gov</ext-link>, NCT04823234. Registered on March 29, 2021.</p></sec>