Special Features of Clear-Fluid Pleurisy in the Elderly

Pleural effusion or clear-fluid pleurisy in the elderly is a frequent complaint in clinical practice. However, it poses a diagnostic and therapeutic problem in view of the clinical polymorphism, delayed consultation and associated comorbidities in this age group.Aging is characterized by a progressive loss of physiological adaptive capacities, due to a reduction in the functional reserves of numerous systems (cardiac, hematological, renal, etc.). This phenomenon is exacerbated by the increasing incidence of co-morbidities and the emergence of geriatric syndromes (dementia, incontinence, bedsores, undernutrition, falls).In view of the increasing number of elderly patients who have consulted and been treated, we decided to study the clinical, radiological, etiological and therapeutic features of pleurisy in the elderly, and to compare them with the literature.