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OBJECTIVE: Although intrapleural administration of fibrinolytics is an important treatment option for the management of empyema, the addition of fibrinolytics failed to reduce the need for surgery and mortality in previous randomized controlled trials. This study aimed to investigate the effect of administrating fibrinolytics in the early phase (within 3 days of chest tube insertion) of empyema compared with late administration or no administration.
METHODS: We used the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination inpatient database to identify patients aged ≥ 16 years who were hospitalized and underwent chest tube drainage for empyema. A 1:2 propensity score matching and stabilized inverse probability of treatment weighting were conducted.
RESULTS: Among the 16,265 eligible patients, 3,082 and 13,183 patients were categorized into the early and control group, respectively. The proportion of patients who underwent surgery was significantly lower in the early fibrinolytics group than in the control group; the odds ratio (95% confidence interval) was 0.69 (0.54-0.88) in the propensity score matching (P = 0.003) and 0.64 (0.50-0.80) in the stabilized inverse probability of treatment weighting analysis (P < 0.001). All-cause 30-day in-hospital mortality, length of hospital stay, duration of chest tube drainage, and total hospitalization costs were also more favorable in the early fibrinolytic group.
CONCLUSIONS: The early administration of fibrinolytics may reduce the need for surgery and death in adult patients with empyema.

UNASSIGNED: The prognostic performance of urea-to-albumin ratio (UAR) has been assessed in various pulmonary and nonpulmonary conditions, but never in thoracic empyema. Therefore, our aim was to determine whether this marker has the ability to predict outcome in such patients.
UNASSIGNED: A single-center retrospective study was conducted in a Clinic of Thoracic Surgery at a University Hospital between January 2021 and October 2023. A total of 84 patients who underwent emergency surgery due to thoracic empyema were involved. Serum levels of urea and albumin at admission were used to calculate UAR. We analyzed area under receiver operating characteristics (AUROC) curves of UAR, systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) and quick-sequential organ failure assessment (qSOFA), and compared their prognostic performance.
UNASSIGNED: The identified in-hospital mortality was 10.7%. The UAR showed the best ability to prognosticate mortality compared to qSOFA (AUROC = 0.828 vs 0.747) and SIRS (AUROC = 0.828 vs 0.676). We established a sensitivity of 87.5% and specificity of 74.2% at optimal cut-off value UAR > 51.1 for prediction of adverse outcome.
UNASSIGNED: In patients with thoracic empyema urea-to-albumin ratio showed significant prognostic performance and a potential for clinical application as a low cost and widely available predictor of death.
UNASSIGNED: Karbamido ir albumino santykio (UAR) prognozė buvo vertinama įvairių plaučių ir ne plaučių ligų atveju, tačiau niekada nebuvo vertinta esant krūtinės ląstos empiemai. Todėl mūsų tikslas buvo nustatyti, ar šis žymuo gali prognozuoti tokių pacientų ligos baigtį.
UNASSIGNED: Nuo 2021 m. sausio mėn. iki 2023 m. spalio mėn.Vilniaus universiteto ligoninės Krūtinės chirurgijos klinikoje buvo atliktas vieno centro prospektyvusis tyrimas. Iš viso tyrime dalyvavo 84 pacientai, kuriems buvo atlikta skubi operacija dėl krūtinės ląstos empiemos. UAR apskaičiuoti buvo naudojamas karbamido ir albumino kiekis kraujo serume, buvęs priėmimo į centrą metu. Analizavome UAR, sisteminio uždegiminio atsako sindromo (SIRS) ir greito organų nepakankamumo vertinimo (qSOFA) ploto pagal imtuvo operacines charakteristikas (AUROC) kreives ir palyginome jų prognostinius rodiklius.
UNASSIGNED: Nustatytas hospitalinis mirtingumas buvo 10,7 %. UAR parodė geriausią mirtingumo prognozavimo gebėjimą, palyginti su qSOFA (AUROC = 0,828 vs. 0,747) ir SIRS (AUROC = 0,828 vs. 0,676). Nustatėme 87,5 % jautrumą ir 74,2 % specifiškumą, esant optimaliai ribinei vertei UAR > 51,1 nepalankiai baigčiai prognozuoti.
UNASSIGNED: Krūtinės ląstos empiema sergantiems pacientams urėjos ir albumino santykis pasižymėjo reikšmingu prognostiniu efektyvumu ir klinikinio pritaikymo galimybėmis kaip pigus ir plačiai prieinamas ligos baigties prognozavimo rodiklis.

UNASSIGNED: The clinical significance of bacteremia in patients with complicated pleural infection is still uncertain. We aimed to examine the incidence and clinical significance of bacteremia in patients with complicated pleural infection.
UNASSIGNED: This retrospective study comprised of consecutive patients who received pleural drainage due to complicated parapneumonic effusion or empyema. The clinical, laboratory, and radiologic data and clinical outcome were compared between patients with and without bacteremia. Additionally, the factors associated with overall mortality were evaluated in these patients.
UNASSIGNED: Of 341 patients included in the analysis, 25 (7 %) had a positive blood culture. Blood culture testing added 2 % identification of causative pathogen compared to pleural fluid culture alone. By multivariable analysis, radiologic features of cavitary lesion, a RAPID score≥5, and a positive microbial culture in pleural fluid were independently associated with bacteremia. Despite these clinical distinctions, there was ultimately no significant difference in in-hospital mortality between patients with and without bacteremia (3 vs. 4 %, p=1.0). The only factor significantly associated with overall mortality among patients with complicated pleural infections was a higher RAPID score [HR=1.96 (95 % CI=1.35-2.84)].
UNASSIGNED: The rate of bacteremia in patients with complicated pleural infection was 7 %. Blood culture testing demonstrated limited diagnostic yield and had minimal impact on clinical outcomes compared to pleural fluid culture. Therefore, it seems that blood culture testing is more advantageous for specific patients with suspected pleural infection who have cavitary lesions or a RAPID score≥5.

BACKGROUND: Pleural empyema is significant cause of morbidity and mortality. Debate in the literature exists regarding the best initial and definitive therapy, with recent research demonstrating superior short-term outcomes with initial surgical intervention. Despite this, the impact of surgical intervention on long-term outcomes has been incompletely described. A systematic review was undertaken to assess the current evidence evaluating the long-term impact of surgical intervention.
METHODS: A systematic review was undertaken according to PRISMA guidelines utilizing three databases. Articles included all papers where patients received surgical intervention for empyema with outcomes evaluated beyond 90 days. Two reviewers extracted and reviewed the articles. Grey literature was included.
RESULTS: Eleven studies and two abstracts were extracted. One study and two abstracts evaluated the quality of life outcomes, two studies evaluated dyspnoea outcomes, seven studies evaluated long-term lung function and two studies evaluated mortality and re-admissions. 60-65% of patients had no dyspnoea between 2 and 7 years follow-up. In six of seven studies, normal lung function was achieved in patients with chronic fibrothorax with FEV1% and FVC% improvements between 14-30% and 13-50%, respectively. The results from such biased cohorts could not be extrapolated to conclude that surgical intervention results in better outcomes than ICC drainage. Risk of bias was severe for all 11 studies.
CONCLUSIONS: Surgical intervention potentially improves post-operative lung function, long-term dyspnoea, and mortality. The impact this has on quality of life remains unknown. Future prospective trials with homogenous comparative groups are required to better define the role of surgery and its impact on long-term outcomes.

UNASSIGNED: Intracranial empyema is a rare but serious and life-threatening infection. It is an accumulation of purulent material in the subdural or extradural space leading to development of subdural empyema or intracranial epidural abscess, respectively. The incidence of morbidity and mortality is high because the diagnosis is often unsuspected. Infections of dental origin could be responsible for such condition.
UNASSIGNED: A 22-year-old female and 30-year-old male patients, both with no significant medical history, presented with subdural empyema and intracranial epidural abscess, respectively, both complicating pan-sinusitis of dental origin. Successful outcomes were achieved with surgical drainage of the lesions, antibiotic therapy, and extraction of affected teeth. Female patient underwent further management for neurological sequelae, while male patient was discharged without neurological complications.
UNASSIGNED: Intracranial suppuration of odontogenic origin is an uncommon but extremely serious complication. The most common dental origins are caries with periapical involvement and periodontitis. Wisdom tooth extraction is the most common preceding dental procedure for this infection. A multidisciplinary approach is essential for the identification and treatment of suspected oral sources. Antibiotic therapy with surgical approach is the gold standard treatment.
UNASSIGNED: This sequel to odontogenic infection is quite rare, but it can be prevented by a good oral hygiene and removal of abscessed teeth.

The significance of Streptococcus intermedius in infectious diseases, especially pleural infections, is gaining recognition. While traditional risk factors like dental procedures and immunosuppression remain pivotal in differential diagnosis, there is an emerging recognition of unconventional clinical presentations and risk factors linked to infections by S. intermedius. This shift compels medical professionals to broaden their diagnostic and therapeutic strategies, underscoring the intricate and evolving nature of managing infections associated with this opportunistic bacterium. We describe the case of a 48-year-old immunocompetent woman with untreated hypertension who experienced a 15-day episode of right-sided chest pain, which worsened with a sudden onset of dyspnea, yet her daily activities remained unaffected. Physical examination suggested a pleuropulmonary syndrome due to significant pleural effusion, with a computed tomography (CT) scan of the lungs revealing about 50% effusion on the right side. Laboratory tests indicated elevated inflammatory markers. Ultrasound-guided thoracentesis extracted purulent fluid compatible with empyema, necessitating the placement of a pleural drain and multiple pleural cavity lavages using alteplase, which led to the removal of substantial infected fluid. Culture of the pleural fluid identified S. intermedius, which was pansusceptible. Treatment with intravenous ceftriaxone was administered, resulting in a favorable clinical outcome. This case highlights the critical nature of recognizing atypical clinical presentations and managing complex bacterial infections in the pleural space.

Cholangiocarcinoma of the common bile duct (CBD) presenting as empyema of the gallbladder is a rare entity that poses a risk of septicemia, septic shock, peritonitis, and abscess formation. This case report describes an elderly female presenting with pain in the right hypochondrium, a positive Murphy\'s sign, and a history of regurgitation and constipation. It highlights the value of imaging in the early diagnosis of this rare presentation of underlying malignancy. The most common cause of empyema of the gallbladder is acute cholecystitis, followed by gallbladder neck obstruction by a calculus. This report discusses the important role of imaging supported by clinical history, examination, laboratory tests, and histopathological findings to diagnose this rare presentation of empyema of the gallbladder as a complication of underlying cholangiocarcinoma. Additionally, it briefly discusses the change in the management line for cholangiocarcinoma patients with complications such as gallbladder perforation and septicemia. The study concludes that the possibility of underlying bile duct malignancy cannot be overlooked in patients with similar symptoms, particularly among the elderly.

Clostridium perfringens bacteremia arises due to skin inoculation from the external environment or translocation from the gastrointestinal tract. In the event of bacteremia, it tends to colonize in anaerobic environments due to its obligatory anaerobic nature. Its inoculation in the lung, albeit rare, can occur if an anaerobic nidus is created. In the presented case, the patient developed C. perfringens bacteremia andempyema in the area of lung necrosis caused by acute pulmonary embolism. He did not have any history of chest trauma, and the source of bacteremia was deemed to be via gut translocation. The patient was noted to have multiple gastric ulcers on endoscopy and jejunal wall thickening, which likely led to the bacterial translocation into the bloodstream. He underwent video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery-assisted decortication and intravenous antibiotics, eventually leading to clinical improvement. To identify the source of Clostridium in the absence of penetrating trauma, a thorough gastrointestinal evaluation, including a colonoscopy, is warranted to identify the pathology leading to the gastrointestinal translocation.

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