The relationship between diaphragm thickness and the severity of the disease in pregnant patients with Covid-19

• Main Authors: Eda Ureyen Ozdemir (Author), Gul Nihal Buyuk (Author), Dilek Acar (Author), Burak Elmas (Author), Gamze Yilmaz (Author), Namik Nebi Özcan (Author), Hüseyin Levent Keskin (Author), Özlem Moraloglu Tekin (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: Elsevier, 2023-03-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.
• Notes: 1028-4559; 10.1016/j.tjog.2022.10.008
• Keywords: Pregnancy; Ultrasound; Covid-19; Diaphragmatic thickness; Gynecology and obstetrics; RG1-991
• Source: Taiwanese Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Vol 62, Iss 2, Pp 275-279 (2023)

Objective: We aimed to investigate whether there is a relationship between diaphragm thickness and disease severity in Covid-19 pregnant subgroups. Material and methods: In this prospective study 100 pregnant patients were enrolled. Thickness of the diaphragm muscle at end-expiration was measured using B-Mode US. Hemoglobin,WBC, NLR, procalcitonin and LDH levels were measured. Results: There was a statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of diaphragm thickness, and the diaphragm thickness was thinner in the severe disease group (p < 0.001). There was no statistically significant difference between the groups with mild to moderate disease severity (p = 0.708). Conclusion: Covid-19 patients who developed serious infection has thinner diaphragms than those who did not. Low diaphragm muscle thickness at the outset of Covid-19 disease, may predispose to poor clinical outcomes. Diaphragmatic ultrasound may be a promising tool to evaluate the risk of Covid-19 disease severity.