Table 1 Clinical factors, predisposing risk factors, severity factors, treatment factors, and outcome in pleural infection, in patients with microbiology negative or known etiology according to the initial antibiotic regimen

n=, (%)

62 (31)

101 (49)

37 (20)

200

57 (26)

106 (49)

49 (23)

216

Age (years)

59.7

62.9

57.7

60.8

0.27

63.5

65.5

62.5

64.3

0.37

para-pneumonic (%)

93.5

89

92

90.5

0.90

86

90.7

85.7

88.4

0.01

Nosocomial (%)

8.0

12

13.5

10.9

0.51

10.5

20

18.4

17.2

0.24

Risk factors (%)

44^#

68^#

54

59

0.22

59

73

80

71

0.45

AB before hospital admittance (%)

48

57

36

50.3

0.61

39

40

51

42.5

0.44

Severely ill (%)

4.8

5.0

37

11.1

< 0.001

10.7

5.7

32

13.2

0.0001

Thoracocentesis delay, median / mean (days)

4.5 /6.3

1 /3.6

2 /2.9

2.5 /4.7

0.01

2 /4.7

1 /2.9

1 /3.4

1/3.5

0.07

AB before thoracocentesis (%)

97^#

80^#

91

89.1

0.37

81

75

78

76.4

0.70

AB treatment, median days

38.5

34

34.5

35

0.48

38

39.5

36.5

38

0.49

Pleural drainage delay > 2 days (%)

57

48

40

49

0.33

45

30

39

36

0.11

Fibrinolysis intrapleural (%)

27

33

28

30

0.71

40

31

31

34

0.45

ICU admittance (%)

4.8

2.0

18.9

5.9

< 0.001

5.3

1.9

25

7.9

< 0.0001

Mortality 30-day (%)

1.6

8.0

18.9

7.9

0.025

7.0

7.5

12.2

8.8

0.55

Mortality 90-day (%)

3.2

9.9

21.6

10.3

0.03

12.3

10.4

22.4

14.4

0.12

Surgery referral (%)

8.1

14.9

10.8

14.3

0.41

15.8

7.5

20.4

14.8

0.06

LOS, median (days)

15.5

15

19.5

16

0.25

19

18

19

18

0.49