Microbial Etiology of Empyema Thoracis in Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Indian PediatrJul 9, 2026 (epub)
Clinical ResearchPediatricsInfectious DiseasesPulmonologyOpen access

Abhishek Purohit, Rashmi Ranjan Das, Rashmi Kapoor et al.

✦ AI-curated · Sources linked

In 30 seconds

This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the microbial etiology of empyema in children, analyzing 36 studies. It found that Staphylococcus aureus was the most prevalent organism in pleural fluid (38.99%) and Streptococcus pneumoniae in blood (60.05%). The evidence quality was rated as very low.

Key findings

  • S. aureus was identified in 38.99% of pleural fluid specimens.
  • S. pneumoniae was found in 60.05% of blood samples.
  • The majority of studies included were of 'fair' quality.
  • Antimicrobial susceptibility data suggested effectiveness of vancomycin and cefotaxime.

Why it matters

Understanding the microbial causes of empyema in children is essential for developing effective treatment and prevention strategies. This knowledge can guide clinicians in selecting appropriate empirical therapies.

What to keep in mind

The GRADE certainty of evidence was rated as 'very low', indicating potential biases and limitations in the included studies.

Source

PubMed · PMID 42424023Free full text on PubMed Central

Published in Indian Pediatr. This summary was written by xxcode from the publication's abstract and metadata. It is not peer reviewed and is not a substitute for the original article. For clinical decisions, review the original publication.

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AI-generated summaries may contain errors or omissions. Verify clinically important information with the original publication.

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