LAUSR

Background Ultrasound pleural irregularity (PI-US) is a novel promising tool for non-invasive diagnosis of interstitial lung involvement (ILD) in connective tissue diseases (CTDs). Few data are available on its diagnostic usefulness in primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS)-induced ILD. Objectives a) To assess the accuracy of PI-US to diagnose ILD in pSS when compared to chest tomography (HRCT) (i.e gold standard imaging technique); b) to explore PI-US diagnostic value in early preclinical phases of lung involvement. Methods PI-US was performed by a single operator using a MyLab-25 (Esaote), 10 MHz, 5 cm linear probe. PI was defined as the loss of the normal hyperechoic linear pleural contour (score 0–2: normal, minimal and major changes at each intercostal space). Abnormal findings at HRCT were quantified by an expert radiologist according to a semiquantitative score (0–2: absent, moderate, severe). Semi-quantitative scores assigned by PI-US and HRCT to 6 lung fields (2 for the anterior, 2 for postero-superior and 2 for postero-inferior chest surface) were compared. Total and partial scores (for each lung fields) were evaluated. For statistical analysis chi-square, Mann-Whitney test, R-Spearman, and ROC-curve analysis were used. Results Validation study phase (PI-US vs HRCT): To validate PI-US technique, we enrolled 32 pSS patients [M/F:5/27; median age (IQR): 67 yrs (51.5–71); median disease duration (IQR): 7 (4–11) yrs; anti-Ro/SSA (+) 78.1%]. To be included patients should have performed a HRCT evaluation within 6 months. Thirteen patients (41%) presented HRCT lesions suggestive for ILD. HRCT total scores and PI-US total scores were strongly correlated (r=0.744, p=0.000). Similarly, PI-US and HRCT partial scores related to the postero-inferior fields showed a strong correlation one to each other (r=0.780, p=0.000). ROC-curve analysis identified a total PI-US score of 28.5 (Youden index) as able to predict HRCT-diagnosis of ILD with a sensitivity (SE) of 84.6% and a specificity (SP) of 89.5%. Analogously, a postero-inferior PI-US score of 12.5 demonstrated a SE of 100% and a SP of 89.5% for the ILD diagnosis. Prospective study phase exploring the usefulness of PI-US for ILD early pre-clinical diagnosis: We included 24 consecutive pSS patients without overt respiratory symptoms [M/F:1/23; median age (IQR): 55 yrs (47–67); median disease duration (IQR): 4 yrs (1–12); anti-Ro/SSA (+) 60.9%]. Out of them, at the end of the diagnostic work -up, four new cases of HRCT-proven pSS-ILD were diagnosed. Their PI-US mean total score was significantly higher than that observed in non-ILD patients (48±18 vs 16±12, p=0.001) as well as their mean postero-inferior PI-US score (19±9 vs 6±5, p=0.003). The total PI-US and postero-inferior PI-US cut-off retrieved in the first part of the study (i.e. 28.5 and 12.5) allowed us to identify those patients with an HRCT-proven pSS-ILD with a SE of 75% and 100%, a SP of 95% and 89.5%, a PPV of 75% and 57% and a NPV of of 95% and 100%, respectively. Conclusions Even if preliminary, this study demonstrated a strong correlation between PI-US and HRCT in the detection of ILD-pSS also in asymptomatic patients, opening new perspectives for the early non-invasive screening of lung involvement in pSS. Disclosure of Interest None declared