Pleuropulmonary ultrasound findings and their association with chronic liver disease severity

Background: There is no evidence of a relationship between the severity of liver disease and the presence of ecographics pleuropulmonary changes. Methods: A prospective, longitudinal and observational study was conducted on a population with diagnosis of chronic liver disease. Presence of pleural effusion was recorded, as well as location, pattern, size, and other pleuropulmonary findings. The Child-Pugh, MELD-Na and CLIF-ACLF severity scores were used. Results: To date, 50 subjects have been recruited. The diagnosis of pleural effusion by lung ultrasound compared to chest radiography was 62.5% vs 43.8%. Overall mortality was 26% (n= 13), in pleural effusion group mortality was 33%(n= 10). The relation of prognostic scales of chronic hepatic disease and the presence or absence of pleural effusion was not significant (p= 0.091), in pleural effusion group p= 0.166. Regarding the size of pleural effusion and its association with the prognostic scales, only the CLIF-C ACLF scale and the effusion volume >1000 ml was significant (p= 0.024). About the pleural thickness, only patients with Child-Pugh scale and a thickness Conclusions: 30% of the pleural effusions were not identified when radiography was used. Massive pleural effusions is associated with a higher CLIF-C ACLF score. The pleural thickness less than 0.3 cm is associated with greater severity of Child-Pugh scale (grade C).