Clinical analysis of Chlamydia psittaci pneumonia combined with pleural effusion

Abstract Purpose The aim of this study is to elucidate the clinical manifestations, computed tomography (CT) imaging characteristics, and therapeutic outcomes of Chlamydia psittaci pneumonia in the presence of pleural effusion, thereby enhancing the clinical acumen of practitioners in diagnosing and managing this condition, with the ultimate goal of improving patient prognoses. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 13 patients with psittacosis pneumonia with pleural effusion confirmed at Ningde City Hospital from December 2020 to December 2023. Results The study cohort comprised 7 males and 6 females, with an age range of 49 to 81 years and a mean age of 68 years (standard deviation ± 10.22). The predominant clinical presentations included fever in 11 cases, cough in 12 cases, sputum production in 10 cases, and dyspnea in 9 cases. Radiological examination revealed variable degrees of large solid lung opacities coupled with pleural effusion, predominantly minimal in extent. Notably, 7 cases escalated to severe pneumonia, and 7 exhibited concurrent type I respiratory failure. In 3 instances, treatment necessitated the use of either non-invasive or invasive ventilation. The therapeutic regimen predominantly consisted of quinolone monotherapy or in combination with tetracyclines, culminating in the favorable discharge of all patients. Conclusion Chlamydia psittaci pneumonia with pleural effusion is not uncommon. In this cohort, affected patients presented with clinical features suggestive of greater severity, including a notable proportion who developed respiratory failure (38.46%) and required invasive ventilation. Clinicians should therefore remain vigilant when managing patients with Chlamydia psittaci pneumonia and pleural effusion, and consider prompt initiation of combined pharmacological therapy and respiratory support to reduce the risk of disease progression. Nevertheless, these observations are limited by the small sample size and the lack of a control group without pleural effusion; thus, any relationship between pleural effusion and disease severity remains observational and requires validation in future comparative studies.