Pleural effusions in non-transplanted cystic fibrosis patients

Abstract

Background: Pleural effusions are considered rare in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. There is a paucity of available information in the literature concerning the nature and significance of pleural effusions in non-transplanted CF patients.

Methods: We conducted a multicenter retrospective evaluation of non-transplanted adult CF patients. Given the small sample size, only descriptive statistics were performed.

Results: A total of 17 CF patients with pleural effusion were identified, of whom 9 patients underwent thoracentesis. The crude incidence of pleural effusion was 43 per 10,000 person-years in hospitalized CF patients at large CF centers. All sampled effusions were inflammatory in nature. All samples submitted for culture grew at least one organism.

Conclusion: Pleural effusions are rare in adult non-transplanted CF patients. These fluid collections appear to be quite inflammatory with a higher rate of empyema than in the general population.

Keywords: Cystic fibrosis; Patient outcome assessment; Pleural effusion.