Egyptian Consensus on the Role of Lung Ultrasonography During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic.

Background & Aims: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a global health problem, presenting with symptoms ranging from mild nonspecific symptoms to serious pneumonia. Early screening techniques are essential in the diagnosis and assessment of disease progression. This consensus was designed to clarify the role of lung ultrasonography versus other imaging modalities in the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A multidisciplinary team consisting of experts from different specialties (ie, pulmonary diseases, infectious diseases, intensive care unit and emergency medicine, radiology, and public health) who deal with patients with COVID-19 from different geographical areas was classified into task groups to review the literatures from different databases and generate 10 statements. The final consensus statements were based on expert physically panelists' discussion held in Cairo July 2021 followed by electric voting for each statement. Results: The statements were electronically voted to be either "agree," "not agree," or "neutral." For a statement to be accepted to the consensus, it should have 80% agreement. Conclusion: Lung ultrasonography is a rapid and useful tool, which can be performed at bedside and overcomes computed tomography limitations, for screening and monitoring patients with COVID-19 with an accepted accuracy rate.

ΔSpO2/distance ratio from the six-minute walk test in evaluation of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

INTRODUCTION: The six-minute walk test (6MWT) contains two independent components: walk distance (6MWD) and oxygen saturation (SpO2). 6MWD does not give detailed data on numerous COPD associated disorders. As oxygen desaturation plays a key role in exercise limita-tions, a few new parameters integrating oxygen desaturation during exercise along with walk distance are necessary. So, this study was conducted to assess the relationships between ΔSpO2/distance ratio and pulmonary function test in addition to extent of pulmonary emphysema in COPD patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 57 stable COPD patients who attended the outpatient clinic of chest medicine department. Mansoura university. were enrolled. Included patients were classified according to GOLD airflow limitation. Age, sex, and modified Medical Research Council dyspnea score (mMRC) were recorded. furthermore, every patient completed the 6MWT and underwent a pulmonary function test and a CT scan to evaluate the degree of pulmonary emphysema. RESULTS: ΔSpO2/distance ratio was moderately correlated with DLCO%, FVC % and GOLD classification. However, strong correlation was found with FEV1% and RV%. mMRC was weakly correlated with ΔSpO2/distance ratio. In addition, weak nonsignificant correlation was found between ΔSpO2/distance ratio and extent of pulmonary emphysema as measured by HRCT volumetry. A significant moderate cor-relation was noticed between the ΔSpO2/distance ratio and 6MWD (r = -0.5, P < 0.001). a significant strong cor-relation was observed between the ΔSpO2/distance ratio and ΔSpO2 (r = 0.87, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: ΔSpO2/distance ratio could be a simple and valuable index for the evaluation of exercise capacity in COPD individuals and might be utilized to predict severity of airway obstruction, pulmonary diffusing capacity disorder and severe hyperinflation.