Aetiology and Demographic Attributes of Common Pleural Collections in an African Population

Abstract

<p> <b><span>B</span></b><b><span>ackground: </span></b><span>Fluids collect in the pleural space under different conditions and they are of different types. Detailed study of demographic attributes and aetiology of pleural collections ha</span><span>s</span><span> not been well reported in Africa.</span><span> </span><b><span>Aims </span></b><b><span>and</span><span> O</span></b><b><span>bjectives: </span></b><span>This study was conducted to determine the demographic attributes and aetiology of common pleural space fluid collections.</span><span> </span><b><span>M</span></b><b><span>ethods: </span></b><span>The sample population consisted of referrals received via clinics, admission through the emergency centre and wards. We noted their biodata, hospital identification numbers, ages and gender and other rele</span><span>vant parameters.</span><span> </span><span>Data analysis was done with special interest in gender-based diseases like ovarian carcinoma prostatic carcinoma and the <span>like.</span></span><span> </span><b><span>R</span></b><b><span>esults: </span></b><span>There were 372 patie</span><span>nts over a 55</span><span>-</span><span>month period. The M:F ratio was 1:1 approximately. The combined mean age was 37.8</span><span> ± </span><span>0.92 years at 95% confidence interval.</span><span> </span><span>Their distribution was negatively skewed and it was leptokurtic. The age bracket of 20 </span><span>-</span><span> 49 had 65.6% of cases. There was gender based disparity in ages.</span><span> </span><b><span>D</span></b><b><span>iscussion: </span></b><span>Malignant effusions constituted majority of sample size and the right side was consistently affected more often than the left side.</span><span> </span><b><span>C</span></b><b><span>onclusion: </span></b><span>Advanced malignancies are the commonest causes of pleural effusion. There is ongoing epidemiologic transition of diseases as the burden of non-communicable diseases is now juxtaposed with that of com</span><span>municable diseases in Africa.</span><span></span> </p

Etiology, clinical characteristics, and management of pleural effusion in Ilorin, Nigeria

“… 17 However, there is a lack of uniformity in the methods or criteria used in reporting the burden of this condition making it difficult to compare results of study across different study populations. The demography in this study showed that the median age of the cases with PE was 38 years and this figure is similar to 37.8 years which was reported in Lagos, Nigeria, 7 and 34.7 years reported from our center earlier, 8 but it was less what was report from another part of the world. 18 19 20 21 22 These variations may be attributed to the variation in the study population and the etiology and frequency of predisposing factors for PE in the different parts of the world.…”

“…We also found a predilection for males in our study and this is in agreement with many other studies. 7 8 18 19 21 22 23 The reason for this was due to more males high prevalence of smoking of tobacco and consumption of alcohol compared to female in our setting. 24 25…”

“…Lung cancer was responsible for half of the malignant PE. This is observation is in agreement with other previous studies; 18 19 21 22 23 26 27 28 however, it is in contrast to the study by Ogunleye et al ., 7 which reported breast cancer as the leading cause of cancer-related effusion. TB was the leading cause of PE in males while it was malignancy among females.…”

“…reported 372 cases of the pleural fluid collection over a 55-month period with male to female ratio of 1:1 and most of them between the ages of 20 and 49 years. 7 Patients with PE most commonly present with dyspnea, initially on exertion, predominantly dry cough, and pleuritic chest pain. To treat PE appropriately, it is important to determine its etiology and distinguish pleural fluid transudate from exudates.…”

Correlation Between Adenosine Deaminase Activity in Pleural Fluid and Serum of Patients With Pleural Effusion

“…These results might be associated with the etiology of pleural effusion where males contribute more in tuberculosis and lung tumors while females contribute in breast cancer and reproduction cancer. [8][9][10] Malignancies were the most common etiology in this study. This result was the same as a study by Kusuma in Surabaya, but, Bhoumik in India found that the most common etiology of pleural effusion was tuberculosis.…”