Value of Pleuropulmonary Ultrasound in the Etiological Diagnosis of Dyspnea in the Emergency Department

Introduction: The aim was to evaluate the interest of bedside pleuropulmonary ultrasound in diagnosing dyspnea in emergencies. Materials and methods: The study was prospective, descriptive, and analytical over a duration of six months. The study population consisted of patients admitted to the Emergency Department of Akanda Army Training Hospital for dyspnea. All subjects underwent pleuropulmonary ultrasound and thoracic CT scan during their hospital stay. Results: In total, 63 cases were included, representing a prevalence of 12.4%. The average age was 58 years, and women accounted for 61.9% of the population. Infectious-type pneumonia represented 84.1% of the etiologies. For the diagnosis of pulmonary consolidation, pleuropulmonary ultrasound had a Kappa coefficient of 0.7. Sensitivity was 94% and specificity was 80%. The area under the curve (AUC) was 0.8. For alveolar-interstitial involvement, the Kappa coefficient was 0.9 and ultrasound had a sensitivity of 96% and specificity of 92% (AUC = 0.9). The Kappa coefficient was 0.9 for pleural effusion. Sensitivity was 92% and specificity was 80% (AUC = 0.8). For the diagnosis of asthma/COPD, the Kappa coefficient was 0.9. Pleuropulmonary ultrasound had a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 50% (AUC = 0.7). Conclusion: This series, although with a small sample, confirms the diagnostic performance of ultrasound in emergency reception services with performance tests close to the literature. Nevertheless, it requires good training in techniques and protocols for more relevant use.