Lung ultrasound could be a valuable tool in predicting the severity of lung disease and the need for extended ventilatory support in critically ill children.
In a study involving 538 children in the ICU, those requiring prolonged mechanical ventilation (over 7 days) had significantly higher lung ultrasound scores at 12 and 48-72 hours post-admission.
The lung ultrasound score demonstrated a strong correlation with oxygen levels and was effective in predicting prolonged mechanical ventilation, showing high accuracy in both initial assessment and multivariable analysis.