Does ‘Idiopathic Pleuritis’ Exist? Natural History of Non-Specific Pleuritis Diagnosed after Thoracoscopy

The majority of non-specific pleuritis patients (91.7%) followed a benign course, with a spontaneous resolution of the effusion in 81.8% of cases. In the majority of patients, a probable cause of the pleuritis was identified. True 'idiopathic benign pleuritis' hence occurs in only a minority (25%) of patients.