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POINT OF CARE LUNG ULTRASOUND IN CHILDREN WITH COVID-19: A CASE SERIES
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  • Alessandra Montemaggi,
  • Cristiana Benucci,
  • Niccolò Parri,
  • Silvia Ricci,
  • Luisa Galli,
  • Giuseppe Indolfi,
  • Sandra Trapani
Alessandra Montemaggi
Ospedale Pediatrico Meyer

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Cristiana Benucci
Ospedale Pediatrico Meyer
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Niccolò Parri
Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Ospedale Pediatrico Meyer
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Silvia Ricci
Ospedale Pediatrico Meyer
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Luisa Galli
University of Florence
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Giuseppe Indolfi
Ospedale Pediatrico Meyer
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Sandra Trapani
Ospedale Pediatrico Meyer
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Abstract

Background: Lung ultrasound (US) proved useful in patients with COVID-19, but limited data are available about its use in affected children. Aim: Lung ultrasound (US) is in the front door in the assessment of patients with coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19), but limited data are available about its use in affected children. We aimed to describe lung US features and discuss its potential applications in COVID-19 children considering the usually mild disease course. Methods: We performed lung US to children with COVID-19 admitted between March 1st and April 27th, 2020. Clinical and radiological data were collected. One or more subsequent lung US were obtained from all subjects. Results: A series of 13 confirmed COVID-19 children were recruited. 8/13 patients showed signs of respiratory interstitial syndrome as for focal or coalescent B-lines or white lung, also in the absence of relevant clinical symptoms. Conclusions: As clinical characteristics of pediatric COVID-19 differ from adults, it is of interest to determine whether pediatric lung US shares the same imaging pattern of adults and whether COVID-19 pneumonia may differ from other virus pneumonia. Our small series highlighted that lung US documented signs of interstitial pneumonia in paucisymptomatic or asymptomatic pediatric patients. In conclusion, we pinpoint the usefulness of point of care lung US for the evaluation of infected children correlated with clinical information.