Ultrasonographic Assessment of Diaphragmatic Performance in Two COPD phenotypes admitted with acute exacerbation and its relation to outcome

Abstract

A phenotype of COPD is considered as set of features that, either alone or in combination, based on clinically significant parameters as symptoms, exacerbations, response to treatment, rate of disease progression, and mortality. COPD phenotyping enable us to identify subgroups with different prognoses. Diaphragmatic performance is an issue that is not fully studied in different COPD phenotypes The aim of this work was to assess diaphragmatic activity using chest ultrasound in two different COPD phenotypes, namely emphysema and chronic bronchitis, in patients admitted with an acute exacerbation to respiratory ICU and to determine its relation to outcome. This observational study was conducted in RICU (Respiratory Intensive Care Unit) of Abbassia Chest Hospital during the period from July 2019 to December 2020 and included 100 cases with COPD; 50 cases as emphysema group, and 50 other with chronic bronchitis. In this study ultrasonography (US) was used to assess the diaphragmatic measurements and performance in 2 major COPD phenotypes, namely chronic bronchitis phenotype (CB) and emphysema phenotype (E) during acute exacerbation (AECOPD).