Quantitative lung ultrasound findings correlate with radial alveolar count in experimental bronchopulmonary dysplasia

Chiara Catozzi; Angelo Modena; Matteo Storti; Francesca Ricci; Gino Villetti; Daniele De Luca

doi:10.1186/s13089-024-00389-y

Quantitative lung ultrasound findings correlate with radial alveolar count in experimental bronchopulmonary dysplasia

Ultrasound J. 2024 Oct 28;16(1):46. doi: 10.1186/s13089-024-00389-y.

Authors

Chiara Catozzi¹, Angelo Modena², Matteo Storti¹, Francesca Ricci¹, Gino Villetti¹, Daniele De Luca^{3

4}

Affiliations

¹ Neonatology and Pulmonary Rare Disease Unit, Experimental Pharmacology and Translational Science Department Corporate Preclinical R&D, Chiesi Farmaceutici, Parma, Italy.
² Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy.
³ Division of Pediatrics and Neonatal Critical Care, "A. Beclere" Medical Centre, Paris Saclay University Hospitals, APHP, Paris, France. [email protected].
⁴ Physiopathology and Therapeutic Innovation Unit-INSERM U999, Paris Saclay University, Paris, France. [email protected].

Abstract

We investigated the relationship between the degree of alveolarization and ultrasound-assessed lung aeration in a validated preterm rabbit model of experimental bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Lung ultrasound findings were heterogeneously abnormal and consisted of zones with interstitial, interstitial-alveolar or consolidated patterns. The median radial alveolar count was 10.1 [8.4-11.5], 7.8 [6.1-9] and 7.3 [1.8-10.1] in rabbits with interstitial, interstitial-alveolar or consolidated ultrasound pattern, respectively (overall p = 0.036). Alveolar count and lung ultrasound score were significantly correlated (ρ = - 0.044 (95%CI: - 1; - 0.143), p = 0.009; τ_-b = - 0.362 (95%CI: - 0.6; - 0.1), p = 0.017).

Keywords: Alveolarization; Lung ultrasonography; Neonate; Prematurity.