Patient characteristics with RPT >10 mm and ⩽10 mm
| Characteristics | RPT >10 mm | RPT ⩽10 mm | p Value |
| (n = 20) | (n = 67) | ||
| Male gender (%) | 90.0 | 64.2 | 0.029 |
| Age (years (SD)) | 61.2 (20.3) | 65.1 (17.6) | 0.345 |
| Symptoms to treatment, days | 11 (7–30) | 10 (7–14) | 0.620 |
| Smokers (%) | 55.0 | 34.3 | 0.096 |
| Alcohol abuse (%) | 15.0 | 9.0 | 0.424 |
| Diabetes mellitus (%) | 20.0 | 20.9 | 0.931 |
| Pulmonary TB (%) | 30.0 | 23.9 | 0.581 |
| Initially large amount of pleural effusion (%) | 65.0 | 40.3 | 0.148 |
| Loculated pleural effusion (%) | 20.0 | 16.4 | 0.740 |
| Positive pleural biopsy culture (%) | 25.0 | 31.3 | 0.782 |
| Positive pleural fluid culture (%) | 20.0 | 4.5 | 0.046 |
| Sputum positive for AFB (%) | 25.0 | 16.4 | 0.511 |
AFB, acid-fast bacillus; RPT, residual pleural thickening; TB, tuberculosis.