Table 1 Baseline characteristics, procedural details, and study outcomes in the treatment groups of the study

Age^a years

47.7 ± 18.5

49.8 ± 12

0.748

Sex^b, females

10 (83.3%)

6 (42.8%)

0.051

VAS baseline^c mm

50 [4.3–60]

27.5 [10–62.5]

0.776

Effusion volume drained pre-MT^c ml

1800 [1275–2475]

1800 [1275–2450]

0.938

Duration of chest tube in situ^c minutes

115 [74–147]

75 [56–187]

0.471

Duration of MT^a minutes

30 ± 12.2

29 ± 10.9

0.813

Effusion volume drained during MT^c ml

25 [0–100]

50 [ 0–325]

0.474

Pleural nodularity at MT^b

9 (75%)

6 (42.8%)

0.130

Pleurodesis performed^b

7 (58.3%)

6 (42.8%)

0.695

Diagnosis^b

0.652

• Inflammatory

2 (16.7%)

4 (28.6%)

• Malignancy

10 (83.3%)

10 (71.4%)

Number of pleural biopsies^c

4 [3.25–5.75]

4 [3.74–4]

0.537

VAS during MT^a mm

49 ± 33.2

57.4 ± 27.6

− 8.4 (− 33 to 16.2)

0.487

Change in VAS from baseline^a mm

8.4 ± 29.6

21.1 ± 42.1

− 12.6 (− 42.6 to 17.3)

0.392

VAS 120 min post MT^a mm

43.5 + 28.3

42.5 + 33.7

1.0 (− 24.4 to 26.4)

0.936

VAS operator-rated score^a mm

45.6 ± 19.8

46.6 ± 29.8

− 1.1 (− 21.9 to 19.8)

0.971

Midazolam dose^a mg

2.3 + 1.2

2.6 + 1.2

− 0.3 (− 1.3 to 0.6)

0.514

Fentanyl dose^a mcg

35 + 16.7

35.7 + 16

− 0.7 (− 14.1 to 12.7)

0.913