Validation of a lung ultrasound protocol in acute respiratory failure: preliminary results

Patients with acute respiratory failure demand dynamic evaluation and interventions. Lung ultrasound is a bedside technique, very promising in this setting. Previously, Lichtenstein and colleagues proposed an algorithm approach with a diagnostic accuracy of 90.5%, named Bedside Lung Ultrasound in Emergency (BLUE protocol). However, this approach has never been validated in other populations or ultrasound operators. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the lung ultrasound algorithm (BLUE protocol) in ICU patients admitted with acute respiratory failure.