Lung Ultrasound Score and Diuretics in Preterm Infants Born Before 32 Weeks: A Pilot Study.

OBJECTIVE To describe if weekly determined lung ultrasound (LU) scores in preterm infants born before 32 weeks (PTB32W) change with diuretic therapy. DESIGN 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 18 PTB32W divided into two groups. Both groups were similar in terms of median gestational age: 26 weeks (interquartile range [IQR] 25-28) in the responders group, and 27 weeks (IQR 24-28) in the other. They differed, however, in the median number of days on invasive mechanical ventilation: 27 (IQR 11-43) versus 76 (IQR 35-117), p=0.03; in addition to the number of infants with moderate-severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia: 3 (33%) versus 8 (89%), p=0.025. The responders group showed lower LU scores two days after diuretics, with a median LU score of 6 (IQR 3-12) versus 14 (IQR 12-17) in the non-responders group, p=0.03; one week after (3 [IQR 0-10] versus 12 [12-12], p=0.04); and three weeks after (5 [IQR 3-6] versus 12 [10-15], p=0.01). RS also decreased at the same time: 7 out of 9 (78%) were extubated in the responders group, and 1 out of 9 (11%) in the non-responders group, p=0.02, and these differences remained throughout the entire follow-up. CONCLUSIONS There is a group of PTB32W patients whose LU score improves after diuretics. This change appears only in those patients that can be weaned in from RS, and at the same period of time as the administration of diuretics. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.