Table 1.
Characteristics of 55 patients with pericardial effusion treated by surgery a
| Variables | Value |
|---|---|
| Age, years; mean (range) |
57 (29 to 82) |
| Gender, n (%) |
|
| Male |
31 (56.4) |
| Female |
24 (23.6) |
| Malignancy, n (%) |
|
| Lung cancer |
36 (65.5) |
| Hematologic malignancy |
4 |
| GI cancer |
5 |
| Breast cancer |
6 |
| Ovary cancer |
1 |
| Thyroid cancer |
1 |
| Cardiac sarcoma |
1 |
| Thymoma |
1 |
| Time to PE after cancer diagnosis. months |
9 (0 to 180) |
| Dyspnea, n (%) |
45 (81.8) |
| Electrocardiography, n (%) |
|
| Normal |
23 (41.8) |
| Abnormal |
32 (58.2) |
| Sinus tachycardia |
20 |
| Low voltage |
9 |
| Atrial fibrillation |
2 |
| APC |
1 |
| Cardiac tamponade, n (%) |
28 (50.9) |
| Ejection fraction, (%) |
62% (48 to 75) |
| Prior pericardiocentesis, n (%) |
15 (27.3) |
| Recurrence after pericardiocentesis, n |
8 |
| Maximum distance of pericardial space by CT, mm |
32.25 (11.7 to 54.68) |
| Concomitant pleural effusion, n (%) |
39 (70.9) |
| Mediastinal lymphadenopathy, n (%) |
40 (72.7) |
| Prior radiotherapy of the chest, n (%) |
22 (40) |
| Pericardial metastasis by CT, n (%) |
20 (36.4) |
| Pulmonary thromboembolism, n (%) |
3 (5.5) |
| Extrathoracic metastasis, n (%) | 32 (58.2) |
APC, Atrial premature contraction; CT, Computed tomography; GI, Gastrointestinal; PE, Pericardial effusion.
aData are presented as median (range) unless otherwise stated.