International Journal of Medical and Health Research

Background: Spontaneous Pneumothorax (SP) is one of the common acute respiratory condition. Etiological profile of SP is not so well studied in rural scenario in India.

Objective: To investigate the Etiological Profile of Spontaneous Pneumothorax at Rural Tertiary Care Centre of north India.

Materials and Method: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 124 patients, between June 2014 to January 2016 in the Department of Pulmonary Medicine of a rural tertiary care hospital of north India. After obtaining informed written consent the patients undergoes detailed history, clinical examination and relevant investigations for making diagnosis. Patients who did not have any underlying pulmonary disease were classified as Primary Spontaneous Pneumothorax (PSP) and those having an underlying pulmonary disease were classified as Secondary Spontaneous Pneumothorax (SSP).

Results: Total 124 patient of Spontaneous Pneumothorax were studied. Out of 124 patient 18 (14.51%) patients diagnosed as Primary Spontaneous Pneumothorax and 106 (85.48%) patients as Secondary Spontaneous Pneumothorax. Among secondary spontaneous pneumothorax 71 (66.98%) patients were of pulmonary tuberculosis, 22 (20.75%) patients belongs to COPD and 6 (5.66%) to interstitial lung disease, 4 ( 3.77%) patients to bronchial asthma and 2 (1.8%) patients to lung malignancy and 1 (0.94%) patient diagnosed as a case of HIV Pulmonary TB co-infection.

Conclusion: Our study shows that Pulmonary Tuberculosis is the leading cause of Secondary Spontaneous Pneumothorax followed by COPD in rural Indian population. Primary spontaneous pneumothorax occurs mostly in tall and thin young male, having history of smoking.