Natural history and outcomes of patients with liver cirrhosis complicated by hepatic hydrothorax

Table 1 Baseline characteristics of patients with cirrhosis during the index hospital admission for hepatic hydrothorax (n = 84)

Characteristic	Statistic
Age, mean ± SD, yr	58.3 ± 11.5
Male, n (%)	46 (54.8)
Diabetes mellitus, n (%)	23 (27.4)
Ischaemic heart disease, n (%)	7 (8.3)
Heart failure, n (%)	4 (4.8)
Chronic obstructive lung disease, n (%)	5 (6.0)
Hepatocellular carcinoma, n (%)	23 (27.4)
Other cancer, n (%)	3 (3.6)
Chronic kidney disease, n (%)	11 (13.1)
Current smoker, n (%)	12 (14.3)
Current alcohol drinker, n (%)	9 (10.7)
Aetiology of liver disease1, n (%)
Hepatitis C virus	25 (29.8)
Non-alcoholic fatty liver	17 (20.2)
Alcoholic liver disease	13 (15.5)
Hepatitis B virus	9 (10.7)
Primary biliary cirrhosis/sclerosing cholangitis	7 (8.3)
Cryptogenic	7 (8.3)
Autoimmune hepatitis	6 (7.1)
Budd-Chiari syndrome	3 (3.6)
Metabolic/others2	7 (8.3)
MELD score, mean ± SD	26.8 ± 7.1
Platelet count, median (IQR), per nL	103 (65-132)
Platelet count < 50/nL, n (%)	9 (10.7)
Anticoagulation, n (%)	6 (7.1)
Previous ascitic taps, n (%)	69 (82.1)
Beta-blockers, n (%)	11 (13.1)
Lactulose, n (%)	34 (40.5)
Rifaximin, n (%)	14 (16.7)
SBP prophylaxis, n (%)	32 (38.1)

¹Categories are not mutually exclusive as > 1 aetiology may be attributed to each patient.

²Hemochromatosis, α1-antitrypsin deficiency, sarcoidosis.

MELD: Model for end-stage liver disease; SBP: Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis; IQR: Interquartile range.