Table 2.

Selected characteristics of parapneumonic empyema-related hospitalizations by associated pathogens, United States 1996–2008

Age and empyema group	Age, mean (95% CI)	Thoracentesis*, %	Length of stay, mean (days)	In-hospital case-fatality, %
Less than 18 years old
Pneumococcal	4.6 (4.4–4.9)	89.1 (86.6–91.6)	13.2 (12.6–13.9)	0.6 (0.2–1)
Streptococcal (non-pneumococcal)	5.3 (4.9–5.7)	90.1 (87.4–92.9)	12.8 (11.9–13.6)	0.8 (0–1.5)
Staphylococcal	4.2 (3.7–4.7)	86.6 (83.6–89.6)	16.3 (15.1–17.6)	0.7 (0–1.4)
Other/Unknown	5.5 (5.3–5.7)	81.3 (78.9–83.7)	10.2 (9.8–10.6)	0.2 (0.1–0.4)
18–39 years
Pneumococcal	31.1 (30.6–31.6)	92.2 (90.1–94.4)	16.8 (15.5–18)	2.5 (1.3–3.8)
Streptococcal (non-pneumococcal)	30.3 (29.7–31)	95.5 (93.7–97.3)	15.3 (14.2–16.4)	2.3 (1–3.5)
Staphylococcal	30.6 (30.1–31.2)	90.3 (87.9–92.6)	18 (16.9–19.2)	2.8 (1.4–4.1)
Other/Unknown	30.8 (30.5–31)	90.5 (89.4–91.7)	13 (12.5–13.4)	2.1 (1.5–2.6)
40–64 years
Pneumococcal	52 (51.7–52.4)	93.3 (92.1–94.6)	17.8 (17.1–18.5)	6.1 (4.9–7.3)
Streptococcal (non-pneumococcal)	52.3 (51.9–52.7)	92.9 (91.5–94.2)	16.6 (15.8–17.3)	4.4 (3.4–5.5)
Staphylococcal	52 (51.7–52.4)	84.6 (82.8–86.5)	21.7 (20.7–22.6)	8.9 (7.4–10.4)
Other/Unknown	51.8 (51.6–51.9)	87.3 (86.5–88.1)	14 (13.7–14.2)	4.4 (4–4.9)
65 or more years
Pneumococcal	76.8 (76.3–77.2)	88.6 (86.6–90.6)	17.4 (16.7–18.1)	15.3 (13.2–17.4)
Streptococcal (non-pneumococcal)	76.5 (76–77)	89.9 (88–91.7)	16.9 (16–17.7)	12.1 (10–14.2)
Staphylococcal	76.3 (75.9–76.7)	79.4 (77–81.7)	21.4 (20.3–22.5)	21.8 (19.4–24.1)
Other/Unknown	76.8 (76.6–77)	79.4 (78.3–80.5)	15.7 (15.3–16.1)	15.7 (14.7–16.6)

^*Includes thoracentesis-related procedures (ICD9-CM: 34.04, 34.06, 34.09, 34.21, 34.51, 34.52, 34.91)