Nonmalignant Pleural Effusions Research Articles

Acute kidney injury in hospitalized patients with nonmalignant pleural effusions: a retrospective cohort study

BackgroundNonmalignant pleural effusion (NMPE) is common and remains a definite health care problem. Pleural effusion was supposed to be a risk factor for acute kidney injury (AKI). Incidence of AKI in NMPE patients and whether there is correlation between the size of effusions and AKI is unknown.ObjectiveTo assess the incidence of AKI in NMPE inpatients and its association with effusion size. Study design and methodWe conducted a retrospective cohort study of inpatients admitted to the Chinese PLA General Hospital with pleural effusion from 2018-2021. All patients with pleural effusions confirmed by chest radiography (CT or X-ray) were included, excluding patients with diagnosis of malignancy, chronic dialysis, end-stage renal disease (ESRD), community-acquired AKI, hospital-acquired AKI before chest radiography, and fewer than two serum creatinine tests during hospitalization. Multivariate logistic regression and LASSO logistic regression models were used to identify risk factors associated with AKI. Subgroup analyses and interaction tests for effusion volume were performed adjusted for the variables selected by LASSO. Causal mediation analysis was used to estimate the mediating effect of heart failure, pneumonia, and eGFR < 60 ml/min/1.73m2 on AKI through effusion volume. ResultsNMPE was present in 7.8% of internal medicine inpatients. Of the 3047 patients included, 360 (11.8%) developed AKI during hospitalization. After adjustment by covariates selected by LASSO, moderate and large effusions increased the risk of AKI compared with small effusions (moderate: OR 1.47, 95%CI 1.11-1.94 p = 0.006; large: OR 1.86, 95%CI 1.05-3.20 p = 0.028). No significant modification effect was observed among age, gender, diabetes, bilateral effusions, and eGFR. Volume of effusions mediated 6.8% (p = 0.005), 4.0% (p = 0.046) and 4.6% (p < 0.001) of the effect of heart failure, pneumonia and low eGFR on the development of AKI respectively. ConclusionThe incidence of AKI is high among NMPE patients. Moderate and large effusion volume is independently associated with AKI compared to small size. The effusion size acts as a mediator in heart failure, pneumonia, and eGFR.

Cardiac related pleural effusions: a narrative review.

Pleural effusions (PEs) are commonly seen in various pathologies and have a significant impact on patient health and quality of life. Unlike for malignant PEs, non-malignant PEs (NMPEs) do not have well-established guidelines. Much of the evidence base in this field is from a handful of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and the majority are from retrospective cohort analyses and cases series. Cardiac related PEs fall within the entity of NMPEs and the aim of this narrative review is to gather the existing evidence in the field of congestive heart failure (CHF), pericarditis and post-cardiac injury syndrome (PCIS). This narrative review investigates the pathophysiology, diagnostic criteria and treatment options for the various cause of cardiac related PEs. This narrative review is based on a comprehensive literature search analysing RCTs, prospective and retrospective cohort analyses and published case series. CHF related PEs have a substantial mortality rate and carry a worse prognosis if the PEs are bilateral and transudative in nature. Light's criteria have often shown to misclassify transudative effusions in CHF (pseudo-exudates) and hence measuring serum-pleural albumin gradient is an invaluable tool to accurately identify transudates. Elevated serum and pleural N-terminal pro-B type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) has shown increasing evidence of correctly identifying PEs secondary to CHF. However, they should be considered with the pre-test probability of CHF. Therapeutic thoracentesis and indwelling pleural catheter (IPC) placement may be necessary if medical management has failed. PEs can also occur secondary to pericarditis and are often small, bilateral and exudative. PCIS also results in PEs and are commonly seen in post-coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. Both entities need management of the underlying cause first, but in cases where PEs are refractory, individualised pleural interventions may be necessary. This comprehensive narrative review provides valuable insights into the aetiology, diagnosis and management of PEs secondary to CHF, pericarditis and PCIS. The aim is to enhance the clinicians' knowledge of this complex and controversial topic to improve patient care of cardiac-related PEs. Ongoing trials in this field will be able to provide valuable insights.

Atypical Layering of FDG in Pleural Effusion.

Radiopharmaceuticals can accumulate in malignant or nonmalignant pleural effusion on γ and PET imaging, and effusion shows a pattern of diffusely or focally increased activity. Herein, we report atypical layering of FDG in pleural effusion on PET/CT of 3 patients with metastatic gynecological cancer.

Case Report: Pleural effusion in Wilms tumor – always malignant?

Wilms tumor (WT) is the most common renal malignancy seen in pediatric patients. Although lungs are the most common site of metastasis in Wilms tumor, non-malignant pleural effusion has been infrequently reported. Here, we report a case of an eleven-year-old female who presented with an abdominal mass and progressive breathlessness. On further evaluation, she was found to have a right-sided Wilms tumor with ipsilateral massive pleural effusion. The effusion resolved almost completely after four weeks of chemotherapy. We conclude that patients suffering from Wilms tumor presenting with pleural effusion need not be synonymous with metastatic disease and can have a favorable prognosis.

Elevated HMGB1 promotes the malignant progression and contributes to cisplatin resistance of non-small cell lung cancer

BackgroundHMGB1 (high mobility group box B-1) exhibits crucial role in tumor genesis and development, including lung cancer. Whereas, more HMGB1-related details in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are still largely unclear.MethodsThe HMGB1 and inflammatory factors in malignant (MPE) and non-malignant pleural effusion (BPE) were determined by ELISA. Additionally, qRT-PCR, western blot, or immunohistochemistry were used to determine HMGB1, drug-resistant and apoptotic proteins’ expressions in NSCLC A549, A549-DDP cell lines, and xenograft model. Cell viability, migration/ invasion, and apoptosis were analyzed using MTT, Transwell, and flow cytometry assays, respectively.ResultsInflammatory factors and HMGB1 expressions in MPE were significantly higher than BPE of NSCLC. Compared with preoperative and adjacent tissues, significantly higher HMGB1, drug-resistant protein, and anti-apoptotic protein expressions were observed in recurrent tissues. Overexpressed HMGB1 induced NSCLC cells to exhibit stronger aggressive, proliferative, and drug-resistant features. The related abilities were reversed when HMGB1 was interfered. Overexpressed HMGB1 showed a similar co-localization with drug resistant protein P-gp in cytoplasm in xenograft model, while low HMGB1 expression localized in cell nucleus.ConclusionsHMGB1 overexpression significantly promoted the malignant progression and cisplatin resistance of NSCLC in vitro and in vivo.

Novel clinical radiomic nomogram method for differentiating malignant from non-malignant pleural effusions

ObjectivesTo establish a clinical radiomics nomogram that differentiates malignant and non-malignant pleural effusions. MethodsA total of 146 patients with malignant pleural effusion (MPE) and 93 patients with non-MPE (NMPE) were included. The ROI image features of chest lesions were extracted using CT. Univariate analysis was performed, and least absolute shrinkage selection operator and multivariate logistic analysis were used to screen radiomics features and calculate the radiomics score. A nomogram was constructed by combining clinical factors with radiomics scores. ROC curve and decision curve analysis (DCA) were used to evaluate the prediction effect. ResultsAfter screening, 19 radiomics features and 2 clinical factors were selected as optimal predictors to establish a combined model and construct a nomogram. The AUC of the combined model was 0.968 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.944–0.986) in the training cohort and 0.873 (95% CI = 0.796–0.940) in the validation cohort. The AUC value of the combined model was significantly higher than those of the clinical and radiomics models (0.968 vs. 0.874 vs. 0.878, respectively). This was similar in the validation cohort (0.873, 0.764, and 0.808, respectively). DCA confirmed the clinical utility of the radiomics nomogram. ConclusionCT-based radiomics showed better diagnostic accuracy and model fit than clinical and radiological features in distinguishing MPE from NMPE. The combination of both achieved better diagnostic performance. These findings support the clinical application of the nomogram in diagnosing MPE using chest CT.

Indwelling pleural catheters for persistent pleural effusions secondary to post lung resection for malignancies.

Malignant and nonmalignant pleural effusions (NMPEs) such as those due to hepatic hydrothorax have been successfully treated with an indwelling pleural catheter (IPC) with a low complication rate. There is no literature on the utility or safety of this treatment modality for NMPE post lung resection. We aimed to assess the utility of IPC for recurrent symptomatic NMPE secondary to post lung resection in lung cancer patients over a period of 4 years. Patients who underwent lobectomy or segmentectomy as part of the treatment plan for lung cancer between January 2019 and June 2022 were identified, these patients were screened for post-surgical pleural effusion. A total of 422 underwent lung resection, of which 12 had recurrent symptomatic pleural effusions requiring IPC placement and were selected for final analysis. The primary end points were improved symptomatology and successful pleurodesis. Mean time to IPC placement was 78.4 days post-surgery. The mean length of IPC catheter was 77.7 days standard deviation (SD) 23.8. All 12 patients achieved spontaneous pleurodesis (SP), there was no second pleural intervention or re-accumulation of fluid on follow up imaging in any of the subjects after IPC removal. Two patients (16.7%) had skin infection related to catheter placement that was managed with oral antibiotics, there were no cases of pleural infections that required catheter removal. IPC is a safe and effective alternative in managing recurrent NMPE post lung cancer surgery with high rate of pleurodesis and acceptable complication rates.

Role of GSDMD and VEGF in differentiating between malignant and non-malignant pleural effusions

BackgroundIt is crucial to differentiate between benign and malignant pleural effusions while making a diagnosis. The purpose of this research was to investigate the diagnostic significance of GSDMD and VEGF in discriminating between different kinds of pleural effusion and their correlation with both progression-free and overall survivals in the malignant type.MethodsNinety-one pleural fluid samples, which were classified as transudates or exudates (tuberculous, para-infectious, or malignant) by pleural fluid classifications, were tested for GSDMD using sandwich ELIZA kits, and 41 of the exudative samples were randomly selected for VEGF testing. Both markers' diagnostic accuracy was assessed.ResultsThe lowest level of GSDMD was associated with the transudate group (mean and SD of 2.35 ± 0.44 ng/mL) and the highest in the malignant effusion group (mean and SD of 4.38 ± 1.67 ng/mL). The specificity and sensitivity of GSDMD in the diagnosis of exudative PE were 97% and 98%, respectively (p = 0.001) with the cutoff point = 2.89). Regarding VEGF, its level was 222.3 ± 53.4 pg/ml for all studied samples where MPE (n = 21) was 261.2 ± 48.2 pg/ ml (mean ± SD), TBPE (n = 7) was 185.4 ± 6.96 pg/ml (mean ± SD), and PIPE (n = 13) was 179.3 ± 13.9 pg/ml (mean ± SD). The diagnostic accuracy of VEGF for the detection of MPE was 90% with a sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 80% and the cutoff point was 191.5 pg/ml. There were highly significant inverse correlations between progression-free survival and both GSDMD (r =− 0.531, p = 0.009) and VEGF (r = − 0.582, p = 0.006) in MPE.ConclusionPleural effusion GSDMD can be an effective marker for differentiating the different kinds of PE, and VEGF levels can be a useful adjuvant marker in screening out MPE as a possible diagnosis, leading to the proper selection of patients who may benefit from more invasive procedures.

Diagnosis of malignant pleural effusion with combinations of multiple tumor markers: A comparison study of five machine learning models.

To evaluate the diagnostic value of combinations of tumor markers carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), carbohydrate antigen (CA) 125, CA153, and CA19-9 in identifying malignant pleural effusion (MPE) from non-malignant pleural effusion (non-MPE) using machine learning, and compare the performance of popular machine learning methods. A total of 319 samples were collected from patients with pleural effusion in Beijing and Wuhan, China, from January 2018 to June 2020. Five machine learning methods including Logistic regression, extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), Bayesian additive regression tree, random forest, and support vector machine were applied to evaluate the diagnostic performance. Sensitivity, specificity, Youden's index, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) were used to evaluate the performance of different diagnostic models. For diagnostic models with a single tumor marker, the model using CEA, constructed by XGBoost, performed best (AUC = 0.895, sensitivity = 0.80), and the model with CA153, also by XGBoost, showed the largest specificity 0.98. Among all combinations of tumor markers, the combination of CEA and CA153 achieved the best performance (AUC = 0.921, sensitivity = 0.85) in identifying MPE under the diagnostic model constructed by XGBoost. Diagnostic models for MPE with a combination of multiple tumor markers outperformed the models with a single tumor marker, particularly in sensitivity. Using machine learning methods, especially XGBoost, could comprehensively improve the diagnostic accuracy of MPE.

Comparison between serum pleural effusion albumin gradient, total protein, lactate dehydrogenase, and erythrocyte count in malignant and non-malignant pleural effusion

Background: Malignant pleural effusion carries a bad prognosis. Pathologic examination as the gold-standard diagnosis of malignant pleural effusion has sensitivity limitations and may cause delayed diagnosis. Several affordable examinations, such as serum pleural effusion albumin gradient, total protein, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and erythrocyte count, might be useful as malignant pleural effusion diagnostic tools. Methods: This is an observational analytic study with a cross-sectional design conducted at Sanglah Central General Hospital in Denpasar from December 2021 to July 2022. Pleural effusion fluid and blood were taken from subjects with malignant and non-malignant pleural effusion. Data were analyzed with SPSS version 25 software for Windows. Results: Total subjects were 47 persons consisting of 26 subjects with malignant pleural effusion and 21 subjects with non-malignant pleural effusion. Results from statistical analysis of malignant and non-malignant pleural effusion were serum pleural effusion albumin gradient median (IQR) 0.91 (0.65) g/dL vs. 1.22 (1.2) g/dL (p=0.129), total protein mean 3.92±0.95 g/dL vs. 3.52±1.67 g/dL (p=0.334), LDH median 535 (840) IU/L vs. 187 (1,016) IU/L (p=0.057), and erythrocyte count median 23,500 (109,250) cells/mm3 vs. 3,000 (11,000) cells/mm3 (p=0.004). The AUC of erythrocyte count from the ROC method was 0.745 (95%CI=0.599-0.890; p=0.004). Using a cut-off point ≥ 4,500 cells/mm3, it had a sensitivity of 80.8%, specificity of 61.9%, and Odds Ratio (OR) of 6.8 (95%CI=1.8-25.4). Conclusion: Erythrocyte count as routine examination showed good validity for diagnosing malignant pleural effusion and expected to reduce diagnosis delay. Meanwhile, albumin gradient, total protein, and LDH delivered no difference.

Nonmalignant Pleural Effusions.

Although the potential causes of nonmalignant pleural effusions are many, the management of a few, including complicated pleural infections and refractory heart failure and hepatic hydrothoraces, can be challenging and requires the assistance of interventional pulmonologists. A pragmatic approach to complicated parapneumonic effusions or empyemas is the insertion of a small-bore chest tube (e.g., 14-16 Fr) through which fibrinolytics (e.g., urokinase and alteplase) and DNase are administered in combination. Therapeutic thoracenteses are usually reserved for small to moderate effusions that are expected to be completely aspirated at a single time, whereas video-assisted thoracic surgery should be considered after failure of intrapleural enzyme therapy. Refractory cardiac and liver-induced pleural effusions portend a poor prognosis. In cases of heart failure-related effusions, therapeutic thoracentesis is the first-line palliative therapy. However, if it is frequently needed, an indwelling pleural catheter (IPC) is recommended. In patients with hepatic hydrothorax, repeated therapeutic thoracenteses are commonly performed while a multidisciplinary decision on the most appropriate definitive management is taken. The percutaneous creation of a portosystemic shunt may be used as a bridge to liver transplantation or as a potential definitive therapy in nontransplant candidates. In general, an IPC should be avoided because of the high risk of complications, particularly infections, that may jeopardize candidacy for liver transplantation. Even so, in noncandidates for liver transplant or surgical correction of diaphragmatic defects, IPC is a therapeutic option as valid as serial thoracenteses.

Pleurovenous Shunt Placement for the Management of Nonmalignant Pleural Effusion.

Therapeutic thoracentesis is a first-line therapy in the management of patients with medically refractory, nonmalignant pleural effusion. However, when required in short intervals, serial thoracenteses can lead to increased procedure-related complications and negatively impact quality of life. Alternative treatment options vary depending on the etiology of fluid accumulation. Hepatic hydrothorax secondary to cirrhosis is a common cause of medically refractory pleural effusion encountered by interventional radiologists. In select patients in whom surgical pleurodesis, transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt placement, and/or tunneled pleural catheter placement cannot be performed or provide inadequate relief, implantation of a pleurovenous (Denver) shunt may assist in palliation. The Denver shunt system allows decompression of pleural fluid into the central venous circulation by utilizing unidirectional valves and a manually operated subcutaneous pump. Though limited reports have described favorable technical and clinical success, more research is required to determine the safety and efficacy of this procedure. This article discusses pleurovenous shunt placement, postprocedure shunt evaluation, and potential associated complications.

Diagnostic utility of cancer ratio in differentiating malignant from non-malignant pleural effusions in a tertiary care centre in central Kerala

Background: Malignant pleural effusion (MPE) is a common clinical condition observed in patients suffering from malignant diseases. None of the tumour markers have both high sensitivity and specificity. A retrospective study on patients with pleural effusion was done to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of Cancer ratio (CR) in diagnosing MPE.Methods:A retrospective analysis of patients with undiagnosed exudative pleural effusion was done. Results of serum Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), pleural fluid Adenosine deaminase (ADA), pleural fluid analysis such as cytology and histopathology reports of pleural biopsy were analyzed. Serum LDH: pleural fluid ADA ratio (CR) was calculated and compared with histopathology report. Data were analyzed statistically.Results: A total of 102 patients were enrolled in the study (56 males and 46 females). The sensitivity and specificity of CR at the cut off level of &gt;20 were 57.14% and 75.47% respectively. The positive predictive value was 68.29% and the negative predictive value was 65.57%. CR&gt;20 (p&lt;0.001) is statistically significant in predicting malignancy in undiagnosed exudative pleural effusions. Conclusions:CR has a high sensitivity and specificity and is a novel tool in differentiating malignant from nonmalignant pleural effusions. Patients with unconfirmed diagnosis but higher CR will identify the need for early biopsy, follow-up and frequent or repeat chest imaging to assess the progression.

Uniportal thoracoscopic decortication: start away from empyema approach

Aim: Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) is now a gold standard in treating early-stage empyema, while much debate still exists considering the effectiveness of this approach for late-stage empyema. Most concerns arise from the crowded rib cage, narrow working space, and ability to free trapped lungs quickly, mainly if uniportal VATS is used. However, unlike uniportal VATS lobectomy, there is no consensus about standard steps for uniportal VATS decortication to ensure smooth and effective surgery. We try to offer standard, easy-to-replicate steps for this approach to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the “start away from empyema” approach for uniportal VATS decortication in the management of stage II and III empyema. Methods: A prospective case series study has been conducted on 25 patients. All patients with stage II and III empyema were admitted to the Cardiothoracic Surgery Department between October 2017 and March 2020. VATS procedure was done under general anesthesia by a double-lumen tube for selective ventilation. Demographic data, preoperative diagnosis, intraoperative findings, hospital stay, and complications were recorded. Results: Twenty-five patients were enrolled in this study with a median age of 35 years. The duration of illness ranged between 14 and 60 days, with a median (IQR) of 25 (17) days. In (88%) of the patients, there was a successful outcome defined as a near-complete resolution on Chest X-ray (scoring of 3 or 4) and chest US (scoring of 2 or 3). Only three (12%) patients had a partially successful outcome. All patients with partial success suffered from infection associated with malignant effusion. Conclusion: “Start away from empyema” approach for uniportal VATS decortication in stage II and III empyema could be safe and effective in treating loculated nonmalignant pleural effusion.

Early discharge for patients with benign pleural effusions using a Wayne catheter (pigtail) chest drain - analysis of safety, complications, and quality of life.

to assess safety, efficacy and quality of life in patients with benign pleural effusions undergong pleural drainage with Wayne pleural catheter (DW) in an outpatient setting. this is a prospective study, in which 47 patients were evaluated between July 2017 and October 2018. Patients with non-malignant pleural effusions underwent pleural drainage with clinical evolution compatible with outpatient care were included. Patients who underwent drainage due to other conditions and patients were excluded. after catheter placement, the mean length of hospital stay was 3.14 (± 3.85) days, and 21 patients (44.68%) were discharged within 24 hours. The mean time with the catheter was 12.63 (± 7.37) days. The analysis of the pleural fluid was transudate in 87.3% of cases and exudate in 12.3%. The causes of pleural effusion were heart failure (72.3%), renal failure (19.1%), liver failure (6.3%) and pneumonia (8.5%). The quality of life, analyzed according to the parameters of the questionnaire SF 36, showed low average values when compared to other studies. Analyzing each descriptor, the average was greater only in the limitation related to physical aspects. In the other descriptors, the results were similar, but smaller. the outpatient use of pleural catheters of the Wayne type (pigtail) proved to be feasible, safe and with a low associated infection rate. This is a viable option for selected patients.

ENTEROCOCCUS FAECALIS EMPYEMA AS A RARE COMPLICATION OF INDWELLING PLEURAL CATHETER USED IN THE MANAGEMENT OF CHRONIC NONMALIGNANT PLEURAL EFFUSION

TOPIC: Chest Infections TYPE: Fellow Case Reports INTRODUCTION: Indwelling pleural catheters (IPCs) are increasingly utilized in the symptomatic management of chronic benign and malignant pleural effusions. While they offer notable advantages in terms of improving quality of life and potentially achieving pleurodesis, IPCs have been seldom associated with the development of pleural infection. In fact, a large multicenter review evaluating 1021 patients across 11 different centers reported an infection rate of only 4.8%. Etiology is thought to be related to bacterial "colonization" of the pleural catheter; however, to date, there has been no published literature discussing the incidence or significance of bacterial colonization in IPC-treated patients. Furthermore, most bacterial species isolated from IPC-related empyemas include Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas, and Enterobacteriaceae. Herein lies the first reported case of IPC-related empyema due to Enterococcus faecalis infection. CASE PRESENTATION: An 84-year-old man with a past medical history of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) on hemodialysis, chronic heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), chronic respiratory failure related to poorly controlled obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) requiring 5 liters of supplemental oxygen was admitted to the medical intensive care unit for septic shock due to Enterococcus faecalis bacteremia. Patient recently had A left-sided IPC placed two weeks prior to presentation for chronic left-sided non-malignant pleural effusion. Further evaluation revealed the presence of a new, left-sided, multiloculated pleural effusion. Drainage from the IPC was purulent in nature, and fluid cultures grew Enterococcus faecalis. After allowing continued drainage from the IPC and starting appropriate antibiotic therapy, the patient improved significantly. DISCUSSION: A recent systematic review of nineteen studies evaluated 1168 patients with IPCs and determined the incidence of empyema to be only 2.8%. Despite the rarity of this complication, there are no formal guidelines for management. Several proposed therapeutic options in addition to standard antibiotic therapy have been utilized by clinicians, including instillation of intrapleural fibrinolytics or antibiotics, surgical evacuation, and removal of the IPC. Clinicians should be aware of this seldom reported manifestation, as prompt recognition and diagnosis can assist with developing an appropriate multidisciplinary approach to treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Indwelling pleural catheters (IPCs) are increasingly utilized in the symptomatic management of chronic benign and malignant pleural effusions. Although they offer several benefits in terms of increasing patient quality of life and improving symptoms, clinicians should be aware of the rare potential complications, particularly infection. Several management options are available and should be tailored to patient specific factors. REFERENCE #1: Lui MM, Thomas R, Lee YC. Complications of indwelling pleural catheter use and their management. BMJ Open Respir Res. 2016 Feb 5;3(1):e000123. doi: 10.1136/bmjresp-2015-000123. PMID: 26870384; PMCID: PMC4746457. REFERENCE #2: Van Meter ME, McKee KY, Kohlwes RJ. Efficacy and safety of tunneled pleural catheters in adults with malignant pleural effusions: a systematic review. J Gen Intern Med. 2011 Jan;26(1):70-6. doi: 10.1007/s11606-010-1472-0. Epub 2010 Aug 10. PMID: 20697963; PMCID: PMC3024099. REFERENCE #3: Kniese C, Diab K, Ghabril M, Bosslet G. Indwelling Pleural Catheters in Hepatic Hydrothorax: A Single-Center Series of Outcomes and Complications. Chest. 2019 Feb;155(2):307-314. doi: 10.1016/j.chest.2018.07.001. Epub 2018 Jul 7. PMID: 29990479; PMCID: PMC6363815. DISCLOSURES: No relevant relationships by Mansur Assaad, source=Web Response No relevant relationships by Rajamurugan Meenakshisundaram, source=Web Response No relevant relationships by FARAZ Siddiqui, source=Web Response

IRF4 is Correlated with the Conversion to a Th17-Like Phenotype in Regulatory T Cells from the Malignant Pleural Effusion.

BackgroundRORγt+Foxp3+ (Th17-like) Tregs are a plastic Treg subset implicated in immune-related diseases; however, the mechanism of Treg phenotypic transformation in malignant pleural effusion (MPE) has not been elucidated.MethodsThe percentage of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+Helios+ and RORγt+Foxp3+ Tregs from peripheral blood and pleural effusion mononuclear cells were measured. The level of interferon regulatory factor 4 (IRF4) mRNA expression was detected by quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The effects of IRF4 on the induction of Tregs from patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were evaluated in vitro. Correlation assays between IRF4 expression and the frequency of RORγt+Foxp3+ Tregs were performed.ResultsThe frequency of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+Helios+ Tregs and CD4+RORγt+ Th17 cells was both increased in the MPE of NSCLC patients. The group of double-positive Foxp3+RORγt+ Treg phenotype were identified in the pleural effusion. A significant increase in the frequency of Foxp3+RORγt+ Tregs was found in MPE compared with the non-malignant pleural effusion (NPE). Compared to NPE, the relative level of IRF4 expression was increased in the MPE. IRF4 expression was positively associated with the frequency of Foxp3+RORγt+ Tregs in the PE. In vitro, the level of Helios mRNA and protein expression was reduced in induced Tregs following IRF4 over-expression. Additionally, the level of RORγt protein expression was substantially increased. However, ectopic Helios expression in induced Tregs reversed the effects induced by enhanced IRF4 expression.ConclusionIRF4 may serve as a potential molecule that promotes the conversion of regulatory T cells from MPE to a Th17-like phenotype by modulating Helios.

Epidemiology of Adult Pleural Disease in the United States

Comprehensive US epidemiologic data for adult pleural disease are not available. What are the epidemiologic measures related to adult pleural disease in the United States? Retrospective cohort study using Healthcare Utilization Project databases (2007-2016). Adults (≥ 18 years of age) with malignant pleural mesothelioma, malignant pleural effusion, nonmalignant pleural effusion, empyema, primary and secondary spontaneous pneumothorax, iatrogenic pneumothorax, and pleural TB were studied. In 2016, ED treat-and-discharge (T&D) visits totaled 42,215, accounting for charges of $286.7 million. In 2016, a total of 361,270 hospitalizations occurred, resulting in national costs of $10.1 billion. A total of 64,174 readmissions contributed $1.16 billion in additional national costs. Nonmalignant pleural effusion constituted 85.5%of ED T&D visits, 63.5%of hospitalizations, and 66.3%of 30-day readmissions. Contemporary sex distribution (male to female ratio) in primary spontaneous pneumothorax (2.1:1) differs from older estimates (6.2:1). Decadal analyses of annual hospitalization rates/100,000 adult population (2007 vs2016) showed a significant (P< .001) decrease for malignant pleural mesothelioma (1.3 vs1.09, respectively), malignant pleural effusion (33.4 vs31.9, respectively), iatrogenic pneumothorax (17.9 vs13.9, respectively), and pleural TB (0.20 vs0.09, respectively) and an increase for empyema (8.1 vs11.1, respectively) and nonmalignant pleural effusion (78.1 vs100.1, respectively). Empyema hospitalizations have high costs per case ($38,591) and length of stay (13.8days). The mean proportion of readmissions attributed to a pleural cause varied widely: malignant pleural mesothelioma, 49%; malignant pleural effusion, 45%; nonmalignant pleural effusion, 31%; empyema, 27%; primary spontaneous pneumothorax, 27%; secondary spontaneous pneumothorax, 27%; and iatrogenic pneumothorax, 20%. Secondary spontaneous pneumothorax had the shortest time to readmission in 2016 (10.3 days, 95% CI, 8.8-11.8 days). Significant epidemiologic trends and changes in various pleural diseases were observed. The analysis identifies multiple opportunities for improvement in management of pleural diseases.

Diagnostic utility of pleural fluid carcinoembryonic antigen in patients with exudative pleural effusion.

Background:Pleural effusion (PE) is presenting symptoms of many different diseases and is often a diagnostic challenge. Negative cytology in the malignant PE requires more complicated diagnostic procedures, such as closed pleural biopsy or thoracoscopic pleural biopsy. Not all the patients will be fit for such invasive procedures due to high risk. Tumor markers seem to be a promising alternative and have been proposed to aid in the differentiation of the PE etiology.Objective:The objective of the study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of pleural fluid carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in differentiation between malignant and nonmalignant PEs and to compare adenosine deaminase (ADA) levels with respect to malignant and nonmalignant PE.Methodology:It was a prospective observational study. Patients who presented with undiagnosed exudative PE during the time period 2016–2018 were studied. Pleural fluid was subjected to all routine investigations such as sugar, protein, lactate dehydrogenase, ADA, and CEA.Results:A total of 100 patients were included in the study. Fifty-one patients had malignancy. Univariate analysis showed that smoker, previous history of cancer, ADA <20, and CEA of >2.15 were variables associated with malignancy. Multivariate analysis showed pleural fluid CEA >2.15 as only independent risk factor associated with malignancy. The sensitivity of 91.5% and 65% and specificity of 92.5% and 81.4%, respectively, were found for CEA 2.15 ng/dl and ADA <16.5 U/L as plotted from receiver operating characteristic curve. The combined CEA and ADA (2.39 ng/ml and 16.5 U/L) values in pleural fluid had higher sensitivity of 100%.Conclusion:Our study demonstrated that pleural fluid CEA levels have a sensitivity of 93.5% and specificity of 73% in diagnosing of malignant PE. ADA levels lesser than 16.5 U/L were seen in patients with malignant PE, but less sensitive and specific compared to CEA. Combined ADA and CEA levels had higher sensitivity than CEA alone.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Transthoracic Ultrasound Guided Biopsy Versus Medical Thoracoscopic Pleural Biopsies in Unexplained Exudative Pleural Effusions in El-Minia University Hospital (Single Center Experience)

Background: Transthoracic ultrasound (TUS) has been established to be important in chest diseases including pleural diseases. Interventional pulmonology showed rapid growth and flex–rigid thoracoscopy development, which brought medical thoracoscopy to the forefront. Objective: To compare the diagnostic accuracy, advantages and complications of TUS pleural biopsies versus medical thoracoscopic pleural biopsies in patients with idiopathic and exudative pleural effusion (PE) in El-Minia University Hospital. Patients and methods: Seventy patients with idiopathic and exudative PE were divided randomly into two groups; group I included 45 patients underwent sonar guided pleural biopsy and group II involved 25 patients underwent thoracoscopic pleural biopsy. Results: TUS-guided biopsy was diagnostic in 40 of 45 (88.8%) compared to 24 of 25 cases (96%) were diagnosed by thoracoscopy. Forty-two patients had malignant cause of effusion; 23 patients (51%) in TUS group and 19 (76%) patients in thoracoscopy group. Twenty-two patients had nonmalignant pleural effusion; 17 in group I and 5 in group II. The diagnosis was unclear in 6 patients, 5 of them in group I. Thoracoscopic group displayed greater percentages of post-procedural complications especially pain in site of puncture. Conclusion: TUS examination has close sensitivity and specificity to medical thoracoscopy and allows better assessment of effusion with fewer complications.