Nonspecific pleuritis

Christopher Kapp, Julius Janssen, Fabien Maldonado, Lonny Yarmus

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

Nonspecific pleuritis (NSP) is inflammation or fibrosis of the pleura that is discovered on biopsy and cannot be attributed to a specific benign or malignant aetiology. It is diagnosed on biopsy in ⩽30% of cases of exudative pleuritis after thoracoscopy. While there is debate over the timing of follow-up, at 21 months roughly 14% of those with NSP develop malignancy within the pleura (mostly mesothelioma) and most of these patients have clinical characteristics suggesting an active process is developing. This chapter will review the diagnosis and incidence of NSP, appropriate clinical surveillance, when it is clinically indicated to repeat a biopsy, and who to refer for surgical biopsy.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)211-217
Number of pages7
JournalERS Monograph
Volume2020
Issue number9781849841160
DOIs
StatePublished - 2020

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine

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