Thoracic ultrasound: a review of the state-of-the-art.

Thoracic ultrasound (TUS) is a tool that has become increasingly essential in the daily practice of thoracic medicine. Driven by the need to assess patients during the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an increase in the use of point-of-care TUS, which has demonstrated several benefits, either as a complement to clinical decision-making for diagnosis or as a real-time guide for procedures, whether as a predictor or measure of treatment response. Here, we present a review of TUS, based on the most recent scientific evidence, from equipment and techniques to the fundamentals of pulmonary ultrasound, describing normal and pathological findings, as well as focusing on the management of lung disease and guidance for invasive thoracic procedures at the bedside.

Prediction models for physical function in COVID-19 survivors.

Background: The burden of caring for patients who have survived COVID-19 will be enormous in the coming years, especially with respect to physical function. Physical function has been routinely assessed using the Post-COVID-19 Functional Status (PCFS) scale.

Aim: This study built prediction models for the PCFS scale using sociodemographic data, clinical findings, lung function, and muscle strength.

Chocolate-Colored Pseudochylothorax in a Woman with a History of Pleuropulmonary Tuberculosis.

BACKGROUND Pseudochylothorax is a rare entity, with only a few hundred case reports worldwide. It presents as a pleural effusion rich in lipids, typically with a cloudy, milky appearance. The diagnosis is made based on the levels of cholesterol and triglycerides in the pleural fluid.

Assessment of short- and long-term functionality and quality of life in patients with post-acute COVID-19 syndrome.

Background: Although the number of new cases of coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) has been drastically reduced worldwide, patients who demonstrate long-term symptoms need more attention from health systems, as these symptoms can negatively affect functionality and quality of life.

Objective: To evaluate muscle function and quality of life at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months in patients with post-acute COVID-19 syndrome and to assess their associations with general fatigue and lung function.

Methods: This observational and longitudinal study evaluated patients with post-acute COVID-19 syndrome.

The Importance of Radiological Patterns and Small Airway Disease in Long-Term Follow-Up of Postacute COVID-19: A Preliminary Study.

Postacute COVID-19 has become a relevant public health problem, and radiological and pulmonary function tests are tools that help physicians in decision-making. The objectives of this study are to characterize the findings and patterns on a chest radiograph (CXR) and computed tomography (CT) that are most important in the postacute phase and to evaluate how these changes correlate with clinical data, spirometry, and impulse oscillometry (IOS). This was a retrospective study of 29 patients who underwent CXR, CT, spirometry, and IOS.

Small airway dysfunction on impulse oscillometry and pathological signs on lung ultrasound are frequent in post-COVID-19 patients with persistent respiratory symptoms.

Background: Thousands of people worldwide are suffering the consequences of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), and impulse oscillometry (IOS) and lung ultrasound (LUS) might be important tools for the follow-up of this population. Our objective was to prospectively evaluate abnormalities detected using these two methods in a cohort of COVID-19 survivors with respiratory symptoms.

Methods: In this follow-up study, 59 patients underwent clinical evaluations, spirometry, IOS and LUS in the 2nd (M1) and 5th (M2) months after diagnostic confirmation of COVID-19 by real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction.

Impulse Oscillometry Findings and Their Associations With Lung Ultrasound Signs in COVID-19 Survivors.

Background: Because impulse oscillometry (IOS) can detect changes in the small airways and is safer to perform during the COVID-19 pandemic than other pulmonary function tests, it may have value in investigating pulmonary sequelae in COVID-19 survivors. This study evaluated the performance of IOS in detecting lung abnormalities in COVID-19 survivors and investigated the associations of the findings with those of lung ultrasound (LUS) and spirometry.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 117 subjects underwent IOS at a frequency range of 4-20 Hz 2 months after COVID-19 diagnosis.

One-month outcomes of patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection and their relationships with lung ultrasound signs.

Background: The role of lung ultrasound (LUS) in evaluating the mid- and long-term prognoses of patients with COVID-19 pneumonia is not yet known. The objectives of this study were to evaluate associations between LUS signs at the time of screening and clinical outcomes 1 month after LUS and to assess LUS signs at the time of presentation with known risk factors for COVID-19 pneumonia.

Methods: This was a retrospective study of data prospectively collected 1 month after LUS screening of 447 adult patients diagnosed with COVID-19 pneumonia.