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- Title
An update of the long-term outcome of patients with nonspecific pleurisy at medical thoracoscopy.
- Authors
Yan‑Xia Yu; Yuan Yang; Yan‑Bing Wu; Xiao‑Juan Wang; Li‑Li Xu; Zhen Wang; Feng Wang; Zhao‑Hui Tong; Huan‑Zhong Shi; Yu, Yan-Xia; Yang, Yuan; Wu, Yan-Bing; Wang, Xiao-Juan; Xu, Li-Li; Wang, Zhen; Wang, Feng; Tong, Zhao-Hui; Shi, Huan-Zhong
- Abstract
<bold>Background: </bold>Medical thoracoscopy (MT) is recommended in patients with undiagnosed exudative pleural effusion and offers a degree of diagnostic sensitivity for pleural malignancy. However, not all patients who undergo MT receive an exact diagnosis. Our previous investigation from 2014 summarized the long-term outcomes of these patients with nonspecific pleurisy (NSP); now, we offer updated data with the goal of refining our conclusions.<bold>Methods: </bold>Between July 2005 and August 2018, MT with pleural biopsies were performed in a total of 1,254 patients with undiagnosed pleural effusions. One hundred fifty-four patients diagnosed with NSP with available follow-up data were included in the present study, and their medical records were reviewed.<bold>Results: </bold>A total of 154 patients were included in this study with a mean follow-up duration of 61.5 ± 43.7 months (range: 1-180 months). No specific diagnosis was established in 67 (43.5%) of the patients. Nineteen patients (12.3%) were subsequently diagnosed with pleural malignancies. Sixty-eight patients (44.2%) were diagnosed with benign diseases. Findings of pleural nodules or plaques during MT and the recurrence of pleural effusion were associated with malignant disease.<bold>Conclusions: </bold>Although most NSP patients received a diagnosis of a benign disease, malignant disease was still a possibility, especially in those patients with nodules or plaques as noted on the MT and a recurrence of pleural effusion. One year of clinical follow-up for NSP patients is likely sufficient. These updated results further confirm our previous study's conclusions.
- Publication
BMC Pulmonary Medicine, 2021, Vol 21, Issue 1, p1
- ISSN
1471-2466
- Publication type
journal article
- DOI
10.1186/s12890-021-01596-2