Retrospective Evaluation of Patients Who Admitted to the Emergency Department Due to Pneumothorax

Research Article

Abstract

Introduction: Spontaneous pneumothorax is a severe life-threatening situation, especially in the elderly and individuals with comorbid diseases.

Objective: In this research, we aimed to elucidate the demographic and clinical characteristics of spontaneous pneumothorax cases in a retrospective manner.

Method: Patients (n=325) diagnosed with pneumothorax at our institution's Emergency Medicine Clinic were included in this retrospective analysis. The patient data were obtained from patient files and data in the hospital automation system. The patients' admission complaints, comorbidities, laboratory findings, imaging results, treatment methods, and hospitalization or discharge were recorded.

Results: Within the scope of the study, 325 patients aged between 1 and 90 were included in the evaluation. Patients were divided into two groups according to age: <40 years (n=163) and ≥40 years (n=162). A statistically significant difference was observed in the distribution of malignancy, diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension (HT), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), chronic kidney failure (CKF), primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP), secondary spontaneous pneumothorax (SSP), traumatic pneumothorax, falls, rib fracture, thoracotomy and outcomes (p< 0.05). While mortality was observed in a total of 25 patients, a statistically significant difference was found in the ≥40-years-old patient group (n=21) compared to the <40-years-old patient group (n=4). The diagnosis of PSP was statistically significantly higher in the <40 age group (n=119) than in the ≥40 age group (n=79). It was observed that the hemoglobin, lymphocyte count, and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in patients younger than 40 were higher than in patients older than 40.

Conclusion: As a result, spontaneous pneumothorax is a clinical entity that is treated according to age, clinical condition, and underlying causes, is often benign when seen in young people, and is life-threatening if not urgently intervened in elderly patients with limited pulmonary reserve. Mortality and morbidity can be prevented with timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment.