Objective: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) pre-hospitalization consumption might affect the course of pneumonia. We opted to assess the potential effects of pre-hospitalization use of NSAIDs in patients with pleuropulmonary infection in the context of the duration of hospitalization.
Methods: A prospective observational study of 57 consecutive patients with a diagnosis of pneumonia and parapneumonic pleural effusion was conducted. The exact medication history the previous fifteen days was recorded.
Results: Prehospital use of NSAIDs >6 days was positively associated with prolonged hospitalization extending out for approximately 10 days. Immunosuppression was an independent risk factor for prolonged hospitalization of more than 5 days. This group of patients also had more complicated pleural effusions and difficult to treat management. In the immunocompetent group of patients, there was a negative inverse correlation of duration of NSAIDs use with pleural fluid pH and glucose. The longer medication with NSAIDs correlated with lower values of C-reactive protein, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Importantly, the early prehospital antibiotic use significantly prevented the development of empyema.
Conclusion: Our findings highlight the potential complications involved with prehospital use of NSAIDs and especially that prolonged NSAID use which may lead to longer hospitalization duration and more complicated pleural effusions.
Keywords: Community acquired pneumonia; Length of hospitalization; Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; Pleural empyema; Pleural infection.
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