Table 1 Characteristics of the study population (n = 342)
From: Diagnostic value of medical thoracoscopy in malignant pleural effusion
| Variables | Values |
|---|---|
| Age, yr., mean ± SD | 62.8 ± 9.7 |
| Sex, male/female, n (%) | 183/159 (53.5/46.5) |
| Smoking status, n (%) | |
| Current or previous smoker | 127 (37.1) |
| Non-smoker | 149 (43.6) |
| Not clear | 66 (19.3) |
| History of malignancy | 32 (9.4) |
| CT imaging | |
| Mediastinal and hilum lymphadenopathy | 196 (57.3) |
| Pleural thickening | 159 (46.5) |
| Pulmonary consolidation or infiltration | 158 (46.2) |
| Pulmonary mass or nodules | 134 (39.2) |
| Pulmonary atelectasis | 126 (36.8) |
| Pleural nodularity | 51 (14.9) |
| Side of effusion, n (%) | |
| Right | 149 (43.6) |
| Left | 133 (38.9) |
| Bilateral | 60 (17.5) |
| Size of effusion, n (%) | |
| Small | 57 (16.7) |
| Moderate | 44 (12.9) |
| Large | 241 (70.4) |
| Effusion appearance, n (%) | |
| Blood- tinged | 191 (55.9) |
| Yellow | 151 (44.1) |