Table 1.
Summary of studies included in the systematic review
| Author | Study design | Number of patients | Disease severity/setting | Probe used/number of zones scanned | B-pattern frequency | Bilateral B-pattern (interstitial syndrome) | Consolidation frequency | Thickened pleura line | Pleural line abnormalities (thickening or irregularities) | Pleural effusion frequency | Subpleural consolidations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lomoro et al. 2020 | Retrospective | 22 (males % NS) | NS/ED | Linear or convex/NS | B-pattern 100% (n = 22/22) | Bilateral various B- patterns in 100% (n = 22/22) | NS | 13.6% (n = 3/22) | Thickened 13.6% (n = 3/22) | 4.5% (n = 1/22) | 27.3% (n = 6/22) |
| Peng et al. 2020 | Retrospective | 20 | NS/NS | NS/12 zones | B-pattern 100% (n = 22/22) | Bilateral B-pattern 75% (n = 15/20) | NS | Most patients (NS) | NS | NS | NS |
| Yi 2020 | Retrospective | 20 (males 55%) | NS/inpatient (NS) | Linear or convex/12 (BLUE protocol) | B-pattern 100% (n = 20/20) | NS | 75% (n = 15/20) | Pleural thickening 35% (n = 7/20) | Unsmooth or interrupted pleural line 100% (20/20) | 60% (n = 12/20) | NS |
| Poggiali et al. 2020 | Retrospective | 12 (males 75%) | None severe/ED | NS/NS | Diffuse B-pattern with spared areas 100% (n = 20/20) | NS | – | NS | NS | NS | Posterior 25% (n = 3/12) |
| Lu et al. 2020 | Retrospective | 30 (males 53%) | 50% severe or critical/inpatients (NS) | Linear or convex/12 zones | B-pattern 90% (n = 27/30) | Bilateral 73% (22/30) | Pulmonary consolidation 20% (n = 6/30) | Pleural thickening (no serrated margins) 10% (n = 3/30) | Pleural thickening (no serrated margins) 10% (n = 3/30) | 3.3% (n = 1/30) | NS |
| Lyu 2020 | Retrospective | 8 (males 25%) | Severe or critical/inpatients, otherwise, NS | Convex array probe/10 zones (modified BLUE protocol) | B-pattern (white lung appearance) 100% (n = 8/8) | NS | Pulmonary or suppleural 37.5% (n = 3/8) | Pleural thickening 100% (n = 8/8) | Pleural thickening 100% (n = 8/8) and blurry or irregular fragmentation 75% (6/8) | 12.5% (n = 1/8) | Pulmonary or subpleural 37.5% (n = 3/8) |
| Yasukawa and Minami 2020 | Retrospective | 10 (males 70%) | Mod-severity/inpatient | Phased array probe/12 zones | Glass rockets (> 5 B-lines) 100% (n = 10/10) and confluent B-lines 100% (n = 10/10) | NS | Consolidation 10% (1/10) | Thick irregular pleural line 100% (n = 10/10) | Thick irregular pleural line 100% (n = 10/10) | 0% (n = 0/10) | 50% (n = 5/10) |
ED = emergency department; ICU = intensive care unit; NS = not specified in the study.