Observational studyThe European respiratory journal2015
Mortality among patients with pleural effusion undergoing thoracentesis.
Observational study in The European respiratory journal, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 38 papers.
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Who cites it
38 citing papers in PubMed, 104 citations in OpenAlex.
- A Randomized Controlled Trial of Thoracentesis in Acute Heart Failure.Circulation · 2025Trial
- Efficacy and safety profile of autologous blood versus talc pleurodesis for malignant pleural effusion: a randomized controlled trial.Therapeutic advances in respiratory diseaseTrial
- Article
- A new diagnostic prediction model for infective endocarditis based on the 2023 duke-international society for cardiovascular infectious disease criteria: a multicenter observational study.BMC cardiovascular disorders · 2026Observational
- Lung Ultrasound for Pleural Effusion in Cancer Patients: Advanced Ultrasound for Pleural Lesions-A Narrative Review.Cancers · 2025Review
- Article
- Long-term outcomes after pleural decortication for patients with chronic sterile, non-malignant pleural effusion.Journal of thoracic disease · 2025Article
- Outcomes and Complications of Thoracentesis in Hospitalized Patients.Southern medical journal · 2025Article
- Think Outside the Box: A Unique Approach to the Management of Comorbid Malignant Pleural and Pericardial Effusions.CHEST pulmonary · 2025Article
- Pleural Effusion: Shedding Light on Pleural Disease Beyond Infection and Malignancy.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2025Review
- Article
- Review
- Infective Pleural Effusions-A Comprehensive Narrative Review Article.Clinics and practice · 2024Review
- Acute kidney injury in hospitalized patients with nonmalignant pleural effusions: a retrospective cohort study.BMC nephrology · 2024Article
- Cardiac related pleural effusions: a narrative review.Journal of thoracic disease · 2024Review
- Article
- Malignant pleural disease.Breathe (Sheffield, England) · 2023Review
- Predicting In-Hospital Acute Heart Failure Worsening in the Oldest Old: Insights from Point-of-Care Ultrasound.Journal of clinical medicine · 2023Article
- Cost Comparison of Treatment Alternatives for Pleural Effusion and Ascites from a Payer Perspective: Are There Cost Savings from Indwelling Catheters?Journal of palliative medicine · 2023Article
- Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
7 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
Of the 1.5 million people diagnosed with pleural effusion in the USA annually, ~178 000 undergo thoracentesis. While it is known that malignant pleural effusion portends a poor prognosis, mortality of patients with nonmalignant effusions has not been well studied.This prospective cohort study evaluated 308 patients undergoing thoracentesis. Chart review was performed to obtain baseline characteristics. The aetiology of the effusions was determined using standardised criteria. Mortality was determined at 30 days and 1 year.247 unilateral and 61 bilateral thoracenteses were performed. Malignant effusion had the highest 30-day (37%) and 1-year (77%) mortality. There was substantial patient 30-day and 1-year mortality with effusions due to multiple benign aetiologies (29% and 55%), congestive heart failure (22% and 53%), and renal failure (14% and 57%, respectively). Patients with bilateral, relative to unilateral, pleural effusion were associated with higher risk of death at 30 days and 1 year (17% versus 47% (hazard ratio (HR) 2.58, 95% CI 1.44-4.63) and 36% versus 69% (HR 2.32, 95% CI 1.55-3.48), respectively).Patients undergoing thoracentesis for pleural effusion have high short- and long-term mortality. Patients with malignant effusion had the highest mortality followed by multiple benign aetiologies, congestive heart failure and renal failure. Bilateral pleural effusion is distinctly associated with high mortality.
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