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

Table 2 Clinical features of hepatic hydrothorax, management, and complications

Characteristic	Index admission (n = 84)	Readmissions (n = 83)
NYHA severity of dyspnoea, n (%)
Class I	13 (15.5)	4 (4.3)
Class II	23 (27.4)	37 (39.4)
Class III	28 (33.3)	22 (23.4)
Class IV	20 (23.8)	31 (33.0)
Distribution of hydrothorax, n (%)
Unilateral, left	13 (15.5)	10 (12.1)
Unilateral, right	68 (81.0)	72 (86.8)
Bilateral	3 (3.6)	1 (1.2)
Admission hepatic encephalopathy, n (%)	12 (14.3)	14 (16.9)
De novo hepatic encephalopathy, n (%)	11 (13.1)	10 (12.0)
Thoracocentesis performed, n (%)	53 (63.1)	62 (74.7)
Pneumothorax, n (% of procedures)	6 (11.3)	11 (17.7)
Haematoma, n (% of procedures)	2 (3.8)	1 (1.6)
Pre-procedure platelet infusion, n (%)	11 (13.3)	6 (7.2)
Pre-procedure blood products1, n (%)	18 (21.7)	12 (14.5)
Pleural fluid drained, mean ± SD, litres	2.8 ± 1.7	3.0 ± 1.5
Indwelling intercostal catheter, n (%)	10 (11.9)	8 (9.6)
Infection, n (%)	17 (20.2)	14 (16.9)
Acute kidney injury, n (%)	30 (35.7)	28 (33.7)
Concurrent ascites drainage, n (%)	23 (27.1)	24 (28.9)
Volume drained, mean ± SD, litres	6.0 ± 3.1	5.5 ± 2.1
TIPS performed, n (%)	2 (2.4)	8 (9.6)
Furosemide, n (%)
None	27 (32.1)	9 (10.8)
20 to < 100 mg daily	52 (61.9)	60 (72.3)
100 to 240 mg daily	5 (5.6)	14 (16.9)
Spironolactone, n (%)
None	27 (32.1)	18 (21.7)
25 to < 100 mg daily	15 (17.9)	22 (26.5)
100 to 300 mg daily	42 (50.0)	43 (51.8)

¹One or more of fresh frozen plasma, cryoprecipitate, or prothrombin complex concentrate.

NYHA: New York Heart Association; TIPS: Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt.