Routine Thoracentesis in Acute Heart Failure: No Significant Clinical Benefit, Study Reports
Denmark: A recent randomized controlled trial evaluated the impact of routine thoracentesis in patients with acute heart failure and pleural effusion. Thoracentesis, a procedure to drain excess fluid from the pleural space, has been considered a potential adjunct to standard medical therapy in these patients. However, the study findings suggest that upfront thoracentesis does not significantly improve clinical outcomes compared to standard medical treatment alone.
"For patients with acute heart failure and pleural effusion, routine upfront thoracentesis offered no advantage over standard medical therapy alone in improving clinical outcomes at 90 days," the researchers reported in Circulation.
Pleural effusion is common in acute heart failure, with large effusions seen in about 20% of cases. Thoracentesis can provide immediate symptom relief but carries risks, and no randomized trials have assessed its benefits in heart-failure-related pleural effusion. With the increasing use of thoracentesis, there is a need for evidence. In the TAP-IT trial, Signe Glargaard, Department of Cardiology, Copenhagen University Hospital–Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg, Denmark, and colleagues examined the impact of adding therapeutic thoracentesis to standard medical therapy in patients with acute heart failure and significant pleural effusion.
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