Positive Pleural Fluid Cultures in the ICU: A 10-Year Population-Based Cohort Study of Prevalence, Microbial Characteristics, and Clinical Associations
Authors' conclusion
In this 10-year cohort study of ICU patients undergoing pleural drainage, the risk of positive pleural fluid cultures was low.
Study context
- Population
- Adults undergoing pleural fluid culturing in 8 ICUs of the North Denmark Region, March 2013–February 2023
- Participants
- 1,251 adults · 8 ICUs
- Outcome
- Proportion of first pleural fluid cultures yielding positive microbial growth
Methodological detailspopulation-based, multicentre
- Population-based
- Multicentre
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Positive first pleural fluid culture
Patients
4.1%
51 events
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Secondary outcomes
90-day all-cause mortality, positive vs negative culture
| Adjusted RR (95% CI) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Positive culture | 1.35 (1.04–1.73) | |
| 0.512Adjusted relative risk (log scale) |
Positive culture risk with suspected pleural infection
| Adjusted RR (95% CI) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Suspected pleural infection | 4.88 (2.70–8.83) | |
| 0.10.31310Adjusted relative risk (log scale) |
Positive culture risk with parapneumonic effusion
| Adjusted RR (95% CI) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Parapneumonic effusionNo association observed | 1.41 (0.83–2.38) | |
| 0.512Adjusted relative risk (log scale) |
Original publication
Positive Pleural Fluid Cultures in the ICU: A 10-Year Population-Based Cohort Study of Prevalence, Microbial Characteristics, and Clinical Associations. Crit Care Med. Published 12 June 2026. doi:10.
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