Two vs. three weeks of treatment with amoxicillin-clavulanate for stabilized community-acquired complicated parapneumonic effusions. A preliminary non-inferiority, double-blind, randomized, controlled trial

Background: The optimal duration of antibiotic treatment for complicated parapneumonic effusions (CPPEs) has not been properly defined. Our aim was to compare the efficacy of amoxicillin-clavulanate for 2 vs. 3 weeks in patients with CPPE (i.e. those which required chest tube drainage). Methods: In this non-inferiority, randomized, double-blind, controlled trial, patients with community-acquired CPPE were recruited from two centers in Spain and, after having obtained clinical stability following 2 weeks of amoxicillin-clavulanate, they were randomly assigned to placebo or antibiotic for an additional week. The primary objective was clinical success, tested for a non-inferiority margin of10 mm at 3 months, and adverse events. The study was registered with EudraCT, number 2014-003137-25. We originally planned to randomly assign 284 patients. Results: After recruiting 55 patients, the study was terminated early owing to slow enrolment. A total of 25 patients were assigned to 2 weeks and 30 patients to 3 weeks of amoxicillin-clavulanate. Clinical success occurred in the 25 (100%) patients treated for 2 weeks and 29 (97%) treated for 3 weeks (difference 3%, 95% CI -3 to 9.7%). Respective between-group differences in the rate of residual pleural thickening (-12%, 95%CI -39 to 14%) and adverse events (-7%, 95%CI -16 to 2%) did not reach statistical significance. Conclusions: In this small series of selected adult patients with community-acquired CPPE, amoxicillin-clavulanate treatment could be safely discontinued by day 14 if clinical stability was obtained

Clinical characteristics of chylothorax: results from the International Collaborative Effusion database

BackgroundChylothorax is an uncommon medical condition for which limited data are available regarding the contemporary aetiology, management and outcomes. The goal of this study was to better define these poorly characterised features.MethodsThe medical records of adult patients diagnosed with chylothorax at 12 centres across Europe, America and South Africa from 2009-2021 were retrospectively reviewed. Descriptive and inferential statistics were performed.Results77 patients (median age 69 years, male to female ratio 1.5) were included. Subacute dyspnoea was the most typical presenting symptom (66%). The commonest cause of chylothorax was malignancy (68.8%), with lymphoma accounting for 62% of these cases. Other aetiologies were trauma (13%), inflammatory/miscellaneous conditions (11.7%) and idiopathic cases (6.5%). At the initial thoracentesis, the pleural fluid appeared milky in 73%, was exudative in 89% and exhibited triglyceride concentrations >100 mg·dL-1 in 88%. Lymphangiography/lymphoscintigraphy were rarely ordered (3%), and demonstration of chylomicrons in pleural fluid was never ascertained. 67% of patients required interventional pleural procedures. Dietary measures were infrequently followed (36%). No patient underwent thoracic duct ligation or embolisation. Morbidity included infections (18%), and thrombosis in malignant aetiologies (16%). The 1-year mortality was 47%. Pleural fluid protein >3.5 mg·dL-1 (sub-distribution hazard ratio (SHR) 4.346) or lactate dehydrogenase -1 (SHR 10.21) increased the likelihood of effusion resolution. Pleural fluid protein ≤3.5 mg·dL-1 (HR 4.047), bilateral effusions (HR 2.749) and a history of respiratory disease (HR 2.428) negatively influenced survival.ConclusionChylothoraces have a poor prognosis and most require pleural interventions. Despite the standard recommendations, lymphatic imaging is seldom used, nor are dietary restrictions followed