Lung ultrasonography derived B-line scores as predictors of left ventricular end-diastolic pressure and pulmonary artery wedge pressure.

Background: Non-invasive assessment of elevated left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) and pulmonary artery wedge pressure (PAWP) in patients with heart diseases is challenging. Lung ultrasonography (LUS) is a promising modality for predicting LVEDP and PAWP.

Methods: Fifty-seven stable ambulatory patients who underwent right and left heart catheterization were included. Following the procedures, LUS was performed in twenty-eight ultrasonographic zones, and the correlation between five different LUS derived B-line scores with LVEDP and PAWP was examined.

Results: The B-line index correlated with LVEDP and PAWP, with coefficients of 0.45 (p = 0.006) and 0.30 (p = 0.03), respectively. B-line index showed an AUC of 0.76 for identifying LVEDP > 15 mmHg (p = 0.01) and an AUC of 0.73 for identifying PAWP > 15 mmHg (p = 0.008). Overall, scores performances were similar in predicting LVEDP or PAWP > 15 mmHg. A B-line index ≥ 28 was significantly associated with LVEDP > 15 mmHg (OR: 9.97) and PAWP > 15 mmHg (OR: 6.61), adjusted for age and indication for heart catheterization.

Conclusions: LUS derived B-line scores are moderately correlated with PAWP and LVEDP in patients with heart diseases. A B-line index ≥ 28 can be used to predict elevated LVEDP and PAWP with high specificity.