Pneumonia and parapneumonic complicated effusion during pregnancy is uncommon but poses potentially serious risks to both mother and fetus. Enzymatic debridement of the pleural cavity with fibrinolytic agents is a noninvasive option that can facilitate drainage and prevent the need for surgery. Herein, we describe the cases of two pregnant women with parapneumonic empyema who were successfully ...

of large amount of pleural fluid with many polymorphonuclear leukocytes, bacteria and cellular debris. The pleural fluid becomes clottable due to leakage of plasma proteins and loss of fibrinolytic activity in pleural space resulting in the formation of thick layer of fibrin over parietal and visceral pleura. The migration of fibroblasts into pleural space leads to collagen deposition and along...

Parapneumonic effusion is a pleural associated with bacterial pneumonia, lung abscess or bronchiectasis. The of parapneumonic arising from inflammation in the and pleura due to direct invasion bacteria, cascade inflammatory reactions, virulence. development grouped into 3 stages: 1) exudative stage, 2) fibrinopurulent 3) organizing stage peel form. This helps categorize effusions groups evaluat...

BACKGROUND Human adenovirus 7 (HAdV-7) was responsible for a significant number of fatalities during the 2011 community outbreak in Taiwan. The mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of severe adenovirus infections in non-immunocompromised individuals remain unclear. Adenovirus pneumonia was associated with pleural effusion in a number of patients from the 2011 outbreak suggesting that similar ...

BACKGROUND Many patients with pneumonia develop pleural effusions. Pleural fluid vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels are known to be elevated in complicated parapneumonic effusion and seem to play a major role in the fibrotic process in the pleura. OBJECTIVES To test whether VEGF levels in pleural effusions of infectious origin correlate with the residual pleural thickening. ME...

At least 40% of all patients with pneumonia will have an associated pleural effusion, although a minority will require an intervention for a complicated parapneumonic effusion or empyema. All patients require medical management with antibiotics. Empyema and large or loculated effusions need to be formally drained, as well as parapneumonic effusions with a pH <7.20, glucose <3.4 mmol/l (60 mg/dl...

AIM To assess the evolution in management of children with parapneumonic effusion and empyema in a tertiary referral centre. METHOD We conducted a retrospective case note review of paediatric patients with parapneumonic effusion, pleural effusion and pleural empyema between December 2006 and December 2015. Digital database searches were performed to identify demographic data, referring hospit...

BACKGROUND Apoptosis plays a role in the development of pleural effusion. Caspase-cleaved cytokeratin 18, a marker for epithelial cell apoptosis, was evaluated in pleural effusion. METHODS A total of 79 patients with pleural effusion were enrolled. The underlying causes were lung cancer (n=24), parapneumonic effusion (n=15), tuberculous effusion (n=28), and transudates (n=12). The levels of M...

The aim of this study was to investigate the value and significance of interleukin-8 in differentiation of uncomplicated parapneumonic effusion (UCPPE) from complicated parapneumonic effusion (CPPE). Using an IMMULITE 1000 Analyzer, with chemiluminescent immunometric assay, levels of interleukin-8 (IL-8) were measured in the pleural fluid of patients with UCPPE (n=30), and CPPE (n=30), and thre...