Risk Factors for the Failure of Non-surgical Treatment in Pneumothorax

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

Introduction: Few studies have thoroughly investigated the factors influencing the clinical course of pneumothorax at each stage of treatment. This study aimed to address this gap by examining these factors. Methods: We conducted a single-center retrospective study involving patients with pneumothorax aged 20 years or older admitted to our hospital. Patients were divided into two groups: those successfully treated with chest tube drainage alone (Group A) and those who required additional treatment (Group B). Excluding patients requiring surgical treatment, patients in Group B were subsequently divided into two groups: those successfully treated with non-surgical secondary treatments (Group C) and those who were not (Group D). Clinical factors were compared between Groups A and B and between Groups C and D. Results: Three hundred and ninety-five patients were included in this analysis. A comparison between Group A (148 patients) and B (247 patients) revealed significant differences in the presence of interstitial lung disease (ILD) (6.1% vs. 13.8%, p < 0.05) and pneumothorax history (20.4% vs. 42.5%, p < 0.05). Among patients in Group B, 172 underwent surgery as the next treatment, while 75 received non-surgical treatment after chest tube drainage. Significant differences were observed between Group C (27 patients) and D (48 patients) in heavy smoking history (33.3% vs. 62.5%, p < 0.05) and presence of ILD (25.9% vs. 52.1%, p < 0.05). Conclusion: Patients with a history of ILD are more likely to require additional treatment after chest tube drainage.