Patients Data

Chest tube + lavage-irrigation

N = 127

Chest tube thoracostomy

N = 119

p value

Average age (years)

6.8 ± 5.6

6.7 ± 4.8

1.010

Male gender: n (%)

70 (55.1)

67 (56.3)

1.052

Presenting symptoms (%)

-Chest pain

-Cough

-shortness of breath

-Fever

-Weight loss

-Dehydration

52.2

65.2

60.9

91.3

26.7

20.0

66.7

60.5

46.7

80.0

34.8

30.4

0.970

0.185

0.633

0.208

0.141

0.276

Asymptomatic (%)

8.7

20.0

0.067

Initial antibiotic usage (%)

47.8

52.1

0.240

Duration of symptoms

13.6 ± 9.9

18.4 ± 12.7

0.059

Traditional therapy used (%)

33.8

31.0

0.671

Co morbidities (%)

Diabetes

HIV

5.5

2.3

3.4

4.2

0.538

0.756

Radiological finding (n)

Pyopneumothorax

Pyothorax

Pulmonary infections

Scoliosis

68

59

27

54

56

63

33

42

0.420

0.966

0.809

0.253