Frequency of adverse events and mortality in patients with pleural empyema in a public referral hospital in Mexico City.
METHODS
Adverse events (AEs) that occur during medical treatment are a public health problem.


OBJECTIVE
1) To measure the prevalence of AEs, 2) to characterize those that occur in patients diagnosed with empyema and 3) to analyze the mortality rate associated with the presence of empyema.


METHODS
Retrospective case series based on a review of files of patient diagnosed with empyema.


RESULTS
A total of 347 files were assessed, reporting 96.6% of the total number of patients diagnosed with empyema in that period. There were 176 AEs reported for 150 of the patients. The frequency of at least one AE was 43%, with prolonged hospitalization being the most frequent condition. In these cases, 97% of the AEs were considered preventable. Intrahospital mortality was 4.8%, with age (HR for every 5 years 1.21, 95%CI 1.08-1.35, P < 0.001) and the presence of diabetes mellitus (HR 2.26, 95%CI 1.0-5.0, P = 0.04) being significant associated factors.


CONCLUSIONS
There was a high frequency of AEs in patients with empyema, but most were considered preventable, especially the length of hospitalization, which could be reduced through timely surgery.
Herrera-Kiengelher
L
L
National Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Mexico City, Mexico.
Báez-Saldaña
R
R
Salas-Hernández
J
J
Avalos-Bracho
A
A
Pérez-Padilla
R
R
Torre-Bouscoulet
L
L
D000328:Adult; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; D016724:Empyema, Pleural / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006779:Hospitals, Public / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult