Table 1.

BASELINE CHARACTERISTICS OF PATIENTS AND EFFUSIONS

Characteristic All Patients Saline Streptokinase p Value
n 258 129 129 NS
Age, yr 42±13 44±14 45±13 NS
Male, n(%) 138(53%) 69(53%) 69(53%) NS
Female, n(%) 120(47%) 60(47%) 60(47%) NS
Unemployed, 28(42%) 14(11%) 14(11%) NS
Preexisting conditions
HIV seropositive 15(6%) 7(5%) 8(6%) NS
Diabetes 53(21%) 27(21%) 26(20%) NS
Alcohol abuse 44(17%) 22(17%) 22(17%) NS
Neoplastic disease 31(2%) 15(12%) 16(12%) NS
Rheumatic disease 13(5%) 6(5%) 7(5.4%) NS
Any comorbidity 60(24%) 30(23%) 30(23%) NS
Acute illness.
Duration, d 36±23 35±25 34±24 NS
Antibiotic treatment ≥3 d,n(%) 198(77%) 99(77%) 99(77%) NS
Dyspnea grade (NYHA) : 2.8±1.0 2.6±1.0 2.5±1.1 NS
Fever > 38.5○ C, n (%) 162(63%) 81(63%) 81(63%) NS
C–reactve portion > 100mg/L, n (%) 135(52%) 67(52%) 68(53%) 0.062
WBC > 20, 000/ml, n (%) 138(53%) 64(50%) 64(50%) NS
Pleural effusion
Frank pus, n (%) 143(81%) 70(54%) 73(57%) NS
pH 6.6±0.8 6.7±0.5 6.5±0.4 NS
LDH >1,000 U, n(%)s 208(81%) 97(75%) 72(56%) NS
Adenosine deaminase, U1 102±67 102±68 102±74 NS
Positive microbiology, n(%) 240(93%) 92(71%) 98(76%) NS
Mycobacterium tuberculosis 168(65%) 101(78%) 10(8%) NS

Others
Chest radiograph (poster anterior)
Leteral effusion thickness, mm 73±46 71±47 83±43 NS
Area of shadowing, % 53±24 56±22 54±19 NS
Definition of abbreviations: HIV= human immunodeficiency virus; LDH= lactate dehydrogenase;
NS= not significant; NYHA= New York Heart Association; WBC = white blood cell count.
+
p Values are for comparison of saline and streptokinase; p<0.1 is displayed.
1
Plus-minus valves represent the standard deviation.
2
Dyspnea grading I-IV based on the New York Heart Association classification (18).
5
Upper limit of normal, 190 U/L.
II
Specimens unsuitable for analysis in 37 patients.