Abstract

Pleural eff usions associated with pneumonia (parapneumonic eff usions) are one of the most common causes of exudative pleural eff usions in the world. Approximately 20 to 40% of patients hospitalized with pneumonia will have an accompanying pleural eff usion. The presence of a pleural eff usion is associated with worse outcomes in patients with pneumonia. In one study of patients hospitalized with pneumonia the mortality risk was 6.5 times higher if the patient had bilateral pleural eff usion and 3.7 times higher if the eff usion was unilateral than if the patient had no pleural eff usion. At least part of the increased mortality with parapneumonic eff usions is due to mismanagement of the pleural eff usion.

Authors and Affiliations