title: [Prognostic factors of clinical outcome of the tuberculous pleural effusion].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To date, no studies have been reported analyzing the prognosis factors related to severe clinical complications in tuberculous pleural effusion (TPE). We studied clinical, biochemical, radiological, and microbiological factors that could help establish the clinical outcome of TPE.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study of > or = 15 years old patients diagnosed of TPE along 9 years. Patients were classified in two groups: a group without complications (NCG), and a group with complications (CG) on the basis of residual pleural thickening (RPT) > or = 10 mm, need of surgery or death.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty six patients were included, mean age 35.3 years, 53% male, 47 in the NCG group and 19 in the CG (1 died, 4 needed surgery, 14 had RPT). The evolution of clinical symptoms was 20.7 days in the NCG and 45.6 in the CG. 94.7% of the CG patients had loculations (23.4% in the NCG). We observed significant differences in the pH (7.34 vs 7.11), glucose (78 vs 30 mg/dl) and lactic dehydrogenase (925 vs 3,235 U/l).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Severe TPE has similar characteristics to complicated parapneumonic pleural effusion. Loculations, pH < 7.25 and glucose < 50 mg/dl were indicative of a poorly outcome in our study.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Universitario Príncipe de Asturias, Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain. emonteror@wanadooadsl.net
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Montero Ruiz
authors.forename: Joaquín
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: López Alvarez
authors.forename: Concepción
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hernández Ahijado
authors.forename: Raquel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rojas Giraldo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000150:complications; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013298:Streptococcus sanguis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014396:Tuberculosis, Pleural / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy