Trial reportThe European respiratory journal2015
Pleural irrigation trial (PIT): a randomised controlled trial of pleural irrigation with normal saline versus standard care in patients with pleural infection.
Trial report in The European respiratory journal, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 6 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 40 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Intrapleural Fibrinolysis and DNase Versus VATS for the Treatment of Pleural Empyema: a Randomized, Controlled Trial
Short Versus Long Antibiotic Course for Pleural Infection Management (SLIM Trial): a Randomized Controlled Open Label Trial
IrRigation of the INfected Pleural Space With antiSEptic Solution (RINSE) - a Proof of Concept Study
Safety And Efficacy Of 8 Hourly Normal Saline Flushing With And Without Heparin Lock In Maintaining Small Bore Intercostal Chest Catheter (ICC) Patency ; A Prospective Pilot Study
A Study to Evaluate the Efficacy of Pleural Space Saline Irrigation in Addition to Standard Intrapleural Thrombolytic Therapy in the Management of Empyema/Complicated Parapneumonic Effusion
Flush, Lyse, Operate: A Pilot Trial of Step-Wise Escalation for Pleural Infection: FLO Trial
Who cites it
40 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 91 citations in OpenAlex.
- Outcomes of intrapleural fibrinolytic and deoxyribonuclease therapy in pleural infection: a systematic review and meta-analysis.European respiratory review : an official journal of the European Respiratory Society · 2026Pooled it
- A systematic review of comorbidities and outcomes of adult patients with pleural infection.The European respiratory journal · 2019Pooled it
- The LTI-01-2001 phase 2a trial of intrapleural LTI-01 in patients with infected, non-draining pleural effusions.Respiratory research · 2026Trial
- Saline lavage alone prolongs drainage compared with intrapleural enzyme therapy in pleural infection: the SCOPE randomised controlled trial.The European respiratory journal · 2026Trial
- A pilot randomised, open label controlled trial comparing safety and efficacy of pleural irrigation with normal saline versus intrapleural tissue plasminogen activator and DNase (fibrinolytic therapy) in pleural infection.BMC pulmonary medicine · 2026Trial
- Biological effect of tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) and DNase intrapleural delivery in pleural infection patients.BMJ open respiratory research · 2019Trial
- Contemporary Pleural Drainage in Adult Practice: Image-Guided Techniques, Procedural Safety, Training Standards, and Malignant Pleural Effusion Management.Journal of clinical medicine · 2026Review
- Managing pleural infections: a nationwide survey of respiratory physicians in Singapore.BMJ open respiratory research · 2026Article
- Review
- Local management of pleural infection: a narrative review.European journal of medical research · 2026Review
- What is new in pleural infections?Breathe (Sheffield, England) · 2026Review
- U-shaped threshold-balanced extensive pleural lavage system for empyema: a retrospective case-control study on drainage efficiency and clinical outcomes.Journal of thoracic disease · 2025Article
- A Practical Approach to Pleural Infection.Pulmonary therapy · 2025Article
- Effective Treatment of Empyema With Fistula Using Saline Irrigation Through Tube Thoracostomy: A Case Report.Cureus · 2025Article
- Pleural Infection: Diagnosis, Management, and Future Directions.Journal of clinical medicine · 2025Review
- Recommended recumbency to avoid insertional complications during small-bore wire-guided thoracostomy tube placement in cats-a cadaver study.BMC veterinary research · 2024Article
- A potential prospect: The novel treatment of intrapleural saline irrigation with intrapleural tyloxapol in treating thoracic empyema.Respirology case reports · 2024Article
- Inverted Placement of Endoscopic One-Way Endobronchial Valve Combined with Gelfoam in the Closure of Bronchopleural Fistula with Empyema in a Mechanically Ventilated Patient: A Case Report.Respiration; international review of thoracic diseases · 2024Article
- Seeing through the MIST: A Pathway Toward Optimal Intervention for Pleural Infection.American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine · 2023Article
- Diagnosis and management of pleural infection.Breathe (Sheffield, England) · 2023Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
11 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Pleural infection is increasing in incidence. Despite optimal medical management, up to 30% of patients will die or require surgery. Case reports suggest that irrigation of the pleural space with saline may be beneficial.A randomised controlled pilot study in which saline pleural irrigation (three times per day for 3 days) plus best-practice management was compared with best-practice management alone was performed in patients with pleural infection requiring chest-tube drainage. The primary outcome was percentage change in computed tomography pleural fluid volume from day 0 to day 3. Secondary outcomes included surgical referral rate, hospital stay and adverse events.35 patients were randomised. Patients receiving saline irrigation had a significantly greater reduction in pleural collection volume on computed tomography compared to those receiving standard care (median (interquartile range) 32.3% (19.6-43.7%) reduction versus 15.3% (-5.5-28%) reduction) (p<0.04). Significantly fewer patients in the irrigation group were referred for surgery (OR 7.1, 95% CI 1.23-41.0; p=0.03). There was no difference in length of hospital stay, fall in C-reactive protein, white cell count or procalcitonin or adverse events between the treatment groups, and no serious complications were documented.Saline irrigation improves pleural fluid drainage and reduces referrals for surgery in pleural infection. A large multicentre randomised controlled trial is now warranted to evaluate its effects further.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.