Respiratory failure & ventilation
Pleural effusion and thoracentesis in intensive care unit (ICU) patients: A longitudinal observational cross‐sectional study
Authors' conclusion
Pleural effusion was common in the ICU, but less than half of all patients with ultrasonographically significant pleural effusion underwent thoracentesis. Progression of pleural effusion without thoracentesis showed reduced volumes on subsequent days.
Study context
- Population
- All adult patients admitted to the four ICUs of a Danish university hospital throughout a 14-day period
- Participants
- 81 patients
- Outcome
- Proportion of patients with ultrasonographically significant pleural effusion (separation between parietal and visceral pleurae >20 mm) in either pleural cavity on any ICU day
Methodological detailslongitudinal, repeated daily ultrasonographic assessments, 4 ICUs, single university hospital, protocol published before study initiation
- Longitudinal
- Repeated daily ultrasonographic assessments
- 4 ICUs, single university hospital
- Protocol published before study initiation
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Ultrasonographically significant pleural effusion
Patients who had or developed ultrasonographically significant pleural effusion
25
31%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Secondary outcomes
Thoracentesis in patients with ultrasonographically significant pleural effusion
- Thoracentesis performed
- 10 of these 25 patients (40%)
Progression of pleural effusion without drainage
- Overall decrease in estimated pleural effusion volume on subsequent days
Original publication
Pleural effusion and thoracentesis in ICU patients: A longitudinal observational cross‐sectional study. Acta Anaesthesiol Scand. Published 8 May 2023. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →