Pleural effusions in non-transplanted cystic fibrosis patients

Background Pleural effusions are considered rare in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. There is a paucity of available information in the literature concerning the nature and significance of pleural effusions in non-transplanted CF patients. Methods We conducted a multicenter retrospective evaluation of non-transplanted adult CF patients. Given the small sample size, only descriptive statistics were performed. Results A total of 17 CF patients with pleural effusion were identified, of whom 9 patients underwent thoracentesis. The crude incidence of pleural effusion was 43 per 10,000 person-years in hospitalized CF patients at large CF centers. All sampled effusions were inflammatory in nature. All samples submitted for culture grew at least one organism. Conclusion Pleural effusions are rare in adult non-transplanted CF patients. These fluid collections appear to be quite inflammatory with a higher rate of empyema than in the general population.