Accuracy and Applications of Lung Ultrasound to Diagnose Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia: A Systematic Review

Background:Lung ultrasound (LUS) is an accurate tool to diagnose community-acquired pneumonia. However, it is not yet an established tool to diagnose ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP).Purpose:To assess the evidence about LUS in the diagnosis of VAP, we conducted a systematic review of the literature.Methods:We searched PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and LILACS. Two researchers independently selected the studies that met the inclusion criteria. Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS-2) tool was used to assess the quality of the studies. In a qualitative synthesis, 3 questions guided the review: Q1. What are the sonographic signs of VAP? Q2. How can LUS be combined with others tests or signs of VAP? Q3. What is the role of LUS in VAP screening?Main Results:Three studies (n = 377 patients) with different designs were included. In terms of Q1, the 3 studies assessed the accuracy of sonographic consolidations. In patients suspected for VAP, lobar or hemilobar consolidation alone...