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Pediatric pleural effusions: etiological evaluation in 492 patients over 29 years

G Eda Utine1, Uğur Ozçelik, Nural Kiper

  • 1Division of Chest Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.

The Turkish Journal of Pediatrics
|October 13, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Pediatric pleural effusions show evolving causes over time. Parapneumonic effusions remain common, with shifts in bacterial pathogens like Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Pulmonology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Pediatric pleural effusions exhibit dynamic changes in etiology and microbial causes.
  • Understanding these trends is crucial for effective clinical management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze trends in pediatric pleural effusion etiologies over 29 years.
  • To investigate shifts in microbiological causes of parapneumonic effusions.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective review of 492 pediatric patient records.
  • Comparison of effusion subgroups and microbial causes across three decades.

Main Results:

  • Parapneumonic effusions constituted 77.4% of cases.
  • Tuberculous pleurisy decreased; malignant effusions doubled.
  • Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae were most common pathogens.
  • Relative frequency of S. aureus decreased; pneumococci and Haemophilus influenzae increased.

Conclusions:

  • Pediatric pleural effusion profiles are changing, particularly parapneumonic causes.
  • Evolving microbial patterns necessitate updated diagnostic and treatment strategies.

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