Diagnosing Obstructive Lung Disease With Point of Care Ultrasound

This study aims to develop and validate a sonographic scoring system for Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) exams, using a scale from 0 to 10, where higher scores indicate worse respiratory function. The accuracy of POCUS in assessing respiratory function will be directly compared with outcomes from Pulmonary Function Tests (PFTs). Outcome measures will include the sensitivity, specificity, and overall accuracy of the sonographic scoring system in detecting respiratory abnormalities, alongside a comparison of diagnostic agreement between POCUS exams and PFT results.

This outcome will measure the correlation coefficient between the sonographic scoring system (scale of 0 to 10, with higher scores indicating worse outcomes) and CT scan results in detecting respiratory abnormalities. The aim is to quantify the strength and direction of the association between sonographic scores and objective findings on CT scans.

This outcome will report the correlation between sonographic scores (on a scale of 0 to 10, where higher scores signify worse respiratory function) and the modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) dyspnea scale scores. The mMRC scale, ranging from 0 (no dyspnea) to 4 (severe dyspnea), assesses the severity of dyspnea. The analysis will measure how variations in sonographic scores align with patient-reported severity of dyspnea.

The objective is to measure the correlation between sonographic scores (scale of 0 to 10, with higher scores indicating worse respiratory status) and diffusion lung capacity (DLCO) values. This outcome will report the strength of association between sonographic findings and DLCO measurements, providing insights into respiratory function.

This outcome will identify and quantify the predictive value of specific sonographic components for the diagnosis of Obstructive Lung Disease (OLD), utilizing a scoring system ranging from 0 to 10, where higher scores indicate worse respiratory status. The analysis will focus on the sensitivity and specificity of individual sonographic components, with OLD diagnosis as the outcome variable.

This analysis will measure the effect of smoking status on the diagnostic accuracy of the sonographic score for OLD, employing a scoring system from 0 to 10, where higher scores reflect worse respiratory health. Using regression analysis, the outcome will include estimates of the impact of smoking status on the probability of OLD diagnosis, adjusting for the sonographic score, and will quantify the additional diagnostic value provided by smoking status information.