DefinePK

Abstract

Background:
Spontaneous pneumothorax (SP) typically manifests as persistent, intense, one-sided chest pain that worsens with deep breaths and adjustments in body position. It can manifest with breathlessness or a combination of breathlessness and chest pain.
Objective:
The objective of this study was to investigate spontaneous pneumothorax in adult patients.
Methodology:
This retrospective study was conducted on 104 spontaneous pneumothorax adults patients in the Department of Medicine, Shalamar Hospital, Lahore from January 2022 to September 2022. All individuals aged ≥18 years presented with spontaneous pneumothorax were included. Data regarding demographic characteristics, clinical details, radiological findings, and treatment approaches was collected from medical records.
Results:
The overall mean age was 44.6±8.2 years. Patients were distributed based on age group as follows: 42 (40.4%) in 18-35 years, 52 (50%) in 36-50 years, and 10 (9.6%) in 51-65 years. Spontaneous pneumothorax (SP) was more prevalent among males. Smoking emerged as a significant risk factor, with 48.1% of all cases having a history of smoking. The most frequent symptom associated with SP was dyspnea, often accompanied by unilateral chest pain. Tuberculosis was identified as the leading cause of SP. Moreover, tube thoracostomy successfully managed 85% of the cases.
Conclusion:
Spontaneous pneumothorax (SP) exhibited a higher prevalence among males and tended to occur more frequently during the third and fifth decades of life. Assessing the clinical profile of patients with SP was valuable in determining its underlying causes. Early screening for risk factors and identifying comorbidities played a crucial role in SP prevention.
Keywords: Spontaneous Pneumothorax; Adults patients; Risk factors; Clinical Characteristics