Prevalence and clinical significance of pleural effusion in patients with acute pulmonary embolism: a retrospective study

Evaluation of AT in acute pulmonary embolism with pleural effusion

Aim: We aimed to investigate whether there is a correlation between AT and pleural effusion in PE patients.Materials & methods: We retrospectively enrolled 325 patients aged 66.26 ± 14.86 years with acute PE in 256-computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA) from 2015 to 2022 and recorded radiographic, clinical and biomarker data, the patients were divided into two groups, PE with pleural effusion group (178 patients) and PE without pleural effusion group (147 patients), odds ratios (OR) were estimated for AT of pleural effusion in PE.Results: A lower AT had a significantly increased risk of pleural effusion (adjusted OR: 2.009, 95% CI: 1.225-3.295).Conclusion: AT are reduced in PE patients with pleural effusion and are associated with the risk of pleural effusion.

Pleural effusion in acute pulmonary embolism: characteristics and relevance

INTRODUCTION

The characteristics and clinical relevance of pleural effusion (PLEF) in acute pulmonary embolism (APE) are not fully understood.

METHODS

A single-centre, retrospective study was performed of patients admitted with APE classified according to the subsequent development or not of PLEF. A model was built to predict PLEF and its impact on 30-day all-cause mortality was investigated.

RESULTS

A total of 1602 patients with APE were included (median age, 74 (61, 82) years; 674 men (42.1%); 382 (23.8%) with PLEF). PLEF was associated with a higher number of comorbidities (p=0.015); more peripheral APE (0.001); a higher frequency of pulmonary infarctions (p<0.001) and higher 30-day all-cause mortality (p=0.004) compared with those without PLEF. Bilateral PLEFs, as compared with unilateral, were associated with a higher number of comorbidities (p=0.009); more severe (simplified Pulmonary Embolism Severity Index ≥1; p<0.001) and higher 30-day all-cause mortality (p<0.001).On multivariate analysis, the presence of PLEF was associated with atrial fibrillation (OR 2.00; 95% CI 1.32 to 3.02), congestive heart failure (OR 3.00; 95% CI 1.81 to 5.00), pulmonary infarction (OR 3.19; 95% CI 2.38 to 4.29) and a Charlson index ≥3 (OR 1.59; 95% CI 1.03 to 2.45). The predictive model for PLEF had a moderate power of discrimination (area under the curve, AUC 0.76; 95% CI 0.73 to 0.79), whereas the predictive model for mortality showed a good predictive power (AUC 0.89; 95% CI 0.86 to 0.93). The presence of PLEF doubles the probability of death (OR 2.02; 95% CI 1.11 to 3.68). When PLEF is bilateral, the probability of death is four times higher, as compared with unilateral PLEF (OR 4.07; 95% CI 1.53 to 10.85; AUC 0.90; 95% CI 0.84 to 0.95).

CONCLUSIONS

A significant number of APE patients develop PLEF. The model showed a good power of discrimination for the prediction of mortality. The probability of death from APE doubles in the presence of PLEF. Patients with APE and concomitant bilateral PLEF have a fourfold higher risk of mortality, as compared with patients with concomitant unilateral PLEF.

Machine-learning-based models assist the prediction of pulmonary embolism in autoimmune diseases: A retrospective, multicenter study

BACKGROUND

Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a severe and acute cardiovascular syndrome with high mortality among patients with autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic diseases (AIIRDs). Accurate prediction and timely intervention play a pivotal role in enhancing survival rates. However, there is a notable scarcity of practical early prediction and risk assessment systems of PE in patients with AIIRD.

METHODS

In the training cohort, 60 AIIRD with PE cases and 180 age-, gender-, and disease-matched AIIRD non-PE cases were identified from 7254 AIIRD cases in Tongji Hospital from 2014 to 2022. Univariable logistic regression (LR) and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) were used to select the clinical features for further training with machine learning (ML) methods, including random forest (RF), support vector machines (SVM), neural network (NN), logistic regression (LR), gradient boosted decision tree (GBDT), classification and regression trees (CART), and C5.0 models. The performances of these models were subsequently validated using a multicenter validation cohort.

RESULTS

In the training cohort, 24 and 13 clinical features were selected by univariable LR and LASSO strategies, respectively. The five ML models (RF, SVM, NN, LR, and GBDT) showed promising performances, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) of 0.962-1.000 in the training cohort and 0.969-0.999 in the validation cohort. CART and C5.0 models achieved AUCs of 0.850 and 0.932, respectively, in the training cohort. Using D-dimer as a pre-screening index, the refined C5.0 model achieved an AUC exceeding 0.948 in the training cohort and an AUC above 0.925 in the validation cohort. These results markedly outperformed the use of D-dimer levels alone.

CONCLUSION

ML-based models are proven to be precise for predicting the onset of PE in patients with AIIRD exhibiting clinical suspicion of PE.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Chictr.org.cn : ChiCTR2200059599.

Effectiveness of Physiotherapy Interventions in Pleural Effusion Patients: A Comprehensive Review

Pleural effusion, characterized by the accumulation of fluid between the parietal and visceral pleura, presents significant challenges in patient management, particularly in cases of malignant pleural effusion. Despite various therapeutic options, there is a need to evaluate the effectiveness of physiotherapy interventions specifically for pleural effusion patients, as current literature predominantly focuses on medical and surgical treatments. This comprehensive review aims to address this research gap by systematically analyzing the impact of physiotherapy on pleural effusion management, with a focus on symptom relief and improvement in quality of life. The objective is to determine the role of physiotherapy in reducing hospital stay and enhancing patient outcomes. Methodologically, this review synthesizes data from clinical studies and case reports that document physiotherapy interventions, such as breathing exercises, postural drainage, and mobilization techniques, in the treatment of pleural effusion. Our findings suggest that physiotherapy interventions can significantly alleviate dyspnoea and improve respiratory function, contributing to better overall patient outcomes. These results underscore the importance of incorporating physiotherapy into the standard care protocol for patients presenting with pleural effusion to optimize recovery and quality of life.

Incidence and Prognostic Role of Pleural Effusion in Patients with Pulmonary Embolism: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: Pleural effusion is a common pulmonary embolism (PE) complication, which has been documented to increase the risk of death in PE and relate to disease progression. However, the incidence of pleural effusion varies among studies and its association with PE outcome is still unclear. This study sought to determine the pooled incidence and prognostic value of pleural effusion events in patients with PE. Methods: We systematically searched the PubMed, EMBASE, SCOPE, Web of Science, Cochrane, LILACS, CINAHL, EBSCO, AMED, and OVID databases from the inception of each database to 7 September 2022 with a restriction on human studies, to identify studies assessing the association between pleural effusion and PE including all prospective and retrospective clinical studies. An exploratory meta-analysis was performed using a random-effects model. We evaluated the heterogeneity and performed subgroup analyses. Results: The final meta-analysis included 29 studies involving 13,430 PE patients. The pooled incidence of pleural effusion in PE patients was 41.2% (95% CI: 35.7–46.6%), which tended to be unilateral (pooled incidence: 60.8%, 95% CI: 45.7–75.8%) and small (pooled incidence: 85.9%, 95% CI: 82.6–89.1%). Pooled analysis using a random-effects model (I2 = 53.2%) showed that pleural effusion was associated with an increased risk of 30-day mortality (RR 2.19, 95% CI: 1.53–3.15, p < 0.001, I2 = 67.1%) and in-hospital mortality (RR 2.39, 95% CI: 1.85–3.09, p < 0.001, I2 = 37.1%) in patients with PE. Conclusions: Our meta-analysis found that PE patients had a high incidence of pleural effusion, which was usually unilateral and small. Pleural effusion generally increases 30-day and in-hospital mortality in patients with PE, and it is recommended that physicians be aware of the risk of death from PE, especially when patients have pleural effusion. Further investigations focusing on PE with pleural effusion are warranted.

Unilateral Transudative Pleural Effusion due to rare Cause – A Case Report

Transudative pleural effusions are characterized by low protein and lactate dehydrogenase according to Light’s criteria. Common causes are congestive cardiac failure, nephrotic syndrome, liver cirrhosis, and protein-losing enteropathy. Constrictive pericarditis is a rare cause of transudative pleural effusion. It can cause bilateral or unilateral recurrent effusions and chylothorax rarely. Common causes of constrictive pericarditis include infections such as viruses and tuberculosis, radiation, and cardiac surgery. We present a treated case of pulmonary tuberculosis presenting with massive, left-sided, and transudative pleural effusion due to constrictive pericarditis diagnosed by computed tomography scan and 2D echo with classical findings. Incidental findings were internal jugular vein thrombus and right lower lobar pulmonary embolus. This case highlights the atypical presentation of constrictive pericarditis as unilateral pleural effusion. A proper history with a high index of suspicion is essential in the workup of constrictive pericarditis which can be cured by pericardiectomy.