Evaluating Stable Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease by Ultrasound

Background and Aim. *e purpose of the study was to evaluate the relationship between COPD severity and the diaphragmatic function measured by point-of-care US in patients with stable COPD. Method. A total of 61 patients with COPD and 40 healthy subjects who had been admitted to Ufuk University Hospital between December 2018 and May 2019 were enrolled. Point-of-care US was performed, and lung silhouette and anterior, right, and left hemidiaphragm method in M-mode were used to evaluate the diaphragm. Results. *e point-of-care US measurements, lung silhouette method right (Lung Sil R), lung silhouette method left (Lung Sil L), right hemidiaphragm US method in B-mode (Ant B-Mode R), and right hemidiaphragm US method in M-mode (Ant M-Mode R), were significantly different among groups (P < 0.001 for each). FEV1 was strongly correlated with Lung Sil R, Lung Sil L, Ant B-Mode R, and Ant M-Mode R (r � 0.963, P < 0.001; r � 0.956, P < 0.001; r � 0.953, P < 0.001; and r � 0.917, and P < 0.001, respectively). Negative correlations were detected between the number of exacerbations per year and Lung Sil R and the number of exacerbations per year and Ant M-Mode R (r � − 0.599, P < 0.001 and r � − 0.587, and P < 0.001, respectively). Conclusion. In this study, FEV1 and annual number of exacerbations turned out to be strongly correlated US findings. *e use of US in COPD patients could help to support clinical decision, but further clinical studies are necessary to confirm those findings.