Frecuencia del derrame pleural en los pacientes del área de clínica del Hospital Vicente Corral Moscoso.Cuenca. Enero 2012 - Diciembre 2014

Abstract

Objective: To determine the frequency of pleural effusion in patients admitted to the clinic area of Vicente Corral Moscoso Hospital in Cuenca, from January 2012 through December 2014. Background: Pleural effusion is a disease of great biopsychosocial impact associated to several factors such as age, sex, concomitant diseases, diagnosis and therapeutic measures, which all determine the evolution and prognosis of the patient. Methodology: The research was quantitative and descriptive. Data collection was done using a structured form, previously validated, and tabulated using Microsoft Excel. Results: Of the 5685 patients admitted to the clinic during the study period, 3.76% (214) presented pleural effusion, with a predominance to the right side (61.68%), and with exudate being the most frequent type (74.77%). Of all patients exhibiting pleural effusion, women constituted 64.49%, 44.39% were over 69 years of age, and 73.36% were from the Sierra region. Dyspnea was present in 37.38% of the 214 cases. The pathological study was associated with pneumonia in 28.50% of cases.A thoracentesis was performed in 48.60% of cases as a diagnostic-therapeutic method; the standard chest X-ray was the image study chosen in 92% of cases; and 100% blood chemistry was requested. Antibiotic treatment was administered for 85.05% of patients; Amoxicillin + clavulanic acid was the most prescribed medication (31.31%). Finally, 76.17% of the cases were discharged favorably. Conclusions: Of the total patients admitted to the clinic area, 3.76% presented pleural effusion, with predominance to the right side (61.68%), and with exudate being the most common type of pleural effusion (74.77%)