2013 Volume 27 Issue 1 Pages 14-20
Objective : To clarify the clinical features and current treatment protocols of idiopathic pneumomediastinum.
Subjects : The clinical features of 75 patients were studied, 4 patients at our hospital and 71 patients over the past 5 years who could be searched in the Japan Medical Abstracts Society database. The mean age, BMI, male-to-female ratio, contributing factors, distribution of initial symptoms, treatment duration, and proportion who were administered antimicrobial therapy were studied retrospectively.
Results : The mean age was 20.8 years, mean BMI 19.5, and male-to-female ratio 52 : 23. The most common contributing factor was no specific factor (51%), followed by exercise (25%). The initial symptoms were pleural friction rub (62%), chest pain (60%), and pharyngeal pain (36%). The number of inpatients was 57 (76%), the mean hospitalization duration was 6.9 days, the number of outpatients was 18 (24%), and the proportion of patients who were administered antimicrobial therapy was 46%.
Conclusion : Idiopathic pneumomediastinum is a relatively uncommon condition and tends to occur in younger men with low BMI, without specific contributing factors and displaying symptoms of chest pain and pleural friction rub. Hospitalization was required for 76% of patients and antimicrobial therapy was administered to 46% of patients.
