Analysis of clinical features and prognostic factors in patients with hepatic hydrothorax: a single-center study from China

Background: The clinical features and factors affecting the prognostic survival of hepatic hydrothorax (HH) are currently unknown.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 131 patients with HH using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards regression analysis to assess factors influencing the prognosis of HH.

Results: A total of 131 patients were enrolled: the male to female ratio was 80:51 (1.59:1), and the mean age was 52.76 ± 11.88 years. Hepatitis B cirrhosis was the main cause of HH, and abdominal distention and dyspnea were the most common clinical signs. Ascites was present in varying amounts in all patients and was the most common decompensated complication, with pleural effusions mostly seen on the right side (107/131; 82%), followed by the left side (16/131; 12%) and bilateral effusions (8/131; 6%). For overall survival without transplantation, the estimated median survival time was 21 (95% confidence interval [CI]:18-25) months, and survival rates at 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years were 77.2%, 62.4%, and 29.7%, respectively. After controlling for covariates that were associated with liver-related mortality in the univariate analysis, males (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.721, 95% CI: 1.114-2.658, P = 0.005) and combined hepatic encephalopathy (HR: 2.016, 95% CI: 1.101-3.693, P = 0.001) were found to be associated with an increase in liver-related mortality.

Conclusions: In this cohort of HH patients without liver transplantation, male sex and hepatic encephalopathy were associated with a higher risk of liver-related death.