Lung Ultrasound For Predicting Outcome Of Weaning From Mechanical Ventilation

Abstract

Background: Lung ultrasound is a simple bed side tool which is now rapidly gaining popularity to assess lung status and extravascular lung water (EVLW) in the ICU Aim: To estimate the Lung Ultrasound Score (LUS) in mechanically ventilated patients and assess its usefulness to predict weaning outcome. Methods: The study was an observational study done in 50 consecutive patients who satisfied the inclusion criteria were admitted in medical ICU of Government Medical college Kottayam. The study was carried out for a period of 6 months. Information was collected through a structured profoma and data collected was analysed using SPSS version 24. Results: Out of the 50 patients studied, 26 were male (52 %) and 24 were female (48%). The mean age of the study population was 58.02 with a standard deviation of 12.601, the youngest subject being 32 years of age and that of the oldest being 84 years of age. Conclusion: According to this study, lung ultrasound is a useful tool in predicting outcome of weaning from mechanical ventilation with a Lung Ultrasound Score >17 having poor weaning outcome. Age of patients and disease etiology do not show statistically significant positive correlation with weaning outcome.