Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37020833›Full record

ArticleERJ open research2023

Phenotyping empyema by pleural fluid culture results and macroscopic appearance: an 8-year retrospective study.

Ka Pang Chan, Susanna So Shan Ng, Kwun Cheung Ling, Ka Ching Ng, Lai Ping Lo, Wing Ho Yip, Jenny Chun Li Ngai, Kin Wang To, Fanny Wai San Ko, Yun Chor Gary Lee and 1 more

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in ERJ open research, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
1.8field-weighted citation impact, top 15% of its field
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 7 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Trial
  2. Article
  3. What is new in pleural infections?Breathe (Sheffield, England) · 2026
    Review
  4. Observational
  5. Silicosis initially presenting with empyema.Occupational medicine (Oxford, England) · 2024
    Article
  6. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors at 2 institutions in 3 countries.

Ka Pang ChanDepartment of Medicine and Therapeutics, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8163-5846
Susanna So Shan NgDepartment of Medicine and Therapeutics, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4554-7312
Kwun Cheung LingDepartment of Medicine and Therapeutics, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
Ka Ching NgDepartment of Medicine and Therapeutics, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3581-5034
Lai Ping LoDepartment of Medicine and Therapeutics, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
Wing Ho YipDepartment of Medicine and Therapeutics, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7688-379X
Jenny Chun Li NgaiDepartment of Medicine and Therapeutics, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3205-2449
Kin Wang ToDepartment of Medicine and Therapeutics, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3829-6700
Fanny Wai San KoDepartment of Medicine and Therapeutics, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8454-0087
Yun Chor Gary LeeDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Perth, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0036-511X
David Shu Cheong HuiDepartment of Medicine and Therapeutics, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4382-2445
Chinese University of Hong Kong · HKThe University of Western Australia · AU

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: The clinical impact of phenotyping empyema is poorly described. This study was designed to evaluate clinical characteristics and outcomes based on the two readily available parameters, pleural fluid culture status and macroscopic fluid appearance. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on patients with empyema hospitalised between 2013 and 2020. Empyema was classified into culture-positive empyema (CPE) or culture-negative empyema (CNE) and pus-appearing empyema (PAE) or non-pus-appearing empyema (non-PAE) based on the pleural fluid culture status and macroscopic fluid appearance, respectively. Results: Altogether, 212 patients had confirmed empyema (CPE: n=188, CNE: n=24; PAE: n=118, non-PAE: n=94). The cohort was predominantly male (n=163, 76.9%) with a mean age of 65.0±13.6 years. Most patients (n=180, 84.9%) had at least one comorbidity. Patients with CPE had higher rates of in-hospital mortality (19.1% Conclusion: Empyema is a heterogeneous disease with different clinical characteristics. Phenotyping empyema into different subclasses based on pleural fluid microbiological results and macroscopic fluid appearance provides insight into the underlying bacteriology, source of infection and subsequent clinical outcomes.

Identifiers

PMID37020833
PMCPMC10068520
OpenAlexW4318070631

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.