%0 Journal Article %A Chimaobi Ikechukwu Nwagboso %A Chidiebere Peter Echieh %A John Nkemakolam Eze %A Stephen Omirigbe Ogbudu %A Chibueze Haggai Njoku %A Anietimfon Umoh Etiuma %A Okokon Odonkwo Bassey %T Predictors of outcome of chest tube drainage of nonpurulent exudative pleural effusions %D 2022 %R 10.1183/23120541.00604-2021 %J ERJ Open Research %P 00604-2021 %V 8 %N 2 %X Background Although chest tube drainage is the primary management method for many pleural effusions, it has a failure rate of 9.4–48%. In this study, we examined the factors that predict the outcome of management of nonpurulent exudative effusions. The aim of this study was to determine the predictors of outcomes of chest tube drainage of pleural effusions.Methodology Consecutive patients who had a chest tube drainage of nonpurulent exudative pleural effusions were followed up in a prospective observational cohort study until extubation and discharge. Data on the management of the patients were recorded, analysed and compared between groups of patients with good and poor outcomes.Results Of the 52 patients studied, 38 had good outcomes, while 14 had poor outcomes. The mean±sd age was 39.7±15.9 years. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that empyema thoracis complicating drainage was an independent predictor of a poor outcome, while the duration of drainage ≤14 days and duration of illness before presentation <30 days were predictive of a good outcome.Conclusion Our results show that the development of empyema thoracis during drainage, a long duration of drainage and a prolonged period of illness before presentation are predictive of the outcome of chest tube drainage.This study of predictors of outcome of chest drainage of nonpurulent pleural effusions found that the development of empyema, a prolonged duration of drainage and a prolonged duration of illness are predictive of a poor outcome of drainage https://bit.ly/3tpK39Y %U https://openres.ersjournals.com/content/erjor/8/2/00604-2021.full.pdf