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Thoracic ultrasound has become a well-implemented diagnostic tool for assessment and monitoring of patients with respiratory symptoms or disease. However, ultrasound examinations are user dependent and sufficient competencies are needed. The European Respiratory Society (ERS) hosts a structured and evidence-based training programme in thoracic ultrasound. This study aimed to explore and discuss the self-reported activity and self-reported competency of the participants during the ERS course. Online surveys were sent to the training programme participants before the second part of the course (practical part of the course), and before and 3 months after the third part of the course (final certification exam). A total of 77 participants completed the surveys. The self-reported frequency of thoracic ultrasound examinations increased during the course, and in the final survey more than 90% of the participants used thoracic ultrasound on weekly basis. The self-reported competency (on technical execution of the thoracic ultrasound examination and overall competency) also increased. The ERS thoracic ultrasound training programme forms the basis of broad theoretical knowledge and sufficient practical skills that seem to lead to behavioural changes, whereby a large proportion of the participants implemented ultrasound in their clinical practice.

No pleural intervention in a patient with confirmed malignant pleural effusion (MPE) prolongs life, but even the recommended interventions for diagnosis and palliation can be costly and therefore unavailable in large parts of the world. However, there is good evidence to guide clinicians working in low- and middle-income countries on the most cost-effective and clinically effective strategies for the diagnosis and management of MPE. Transthoracic ultrasound-guided closed pleural biopsy is a safe method of pleural biopsy with a diagnostic yield approaching that of thoracoscopy. With the use of pleural fluid cytology and ultrasound-guided biopsy, ≥90% of cases can be diagnosed. Cases with an associated mass lesion are best suited to an ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration with/without core needle biopsy. Those with diffuse pleural thickening and/or nodularity should have an Abrams needle (<1 cm thickening) or core needle (≥1 cm thickening) biopsy of the area of interest. Those with insignificant pleural thickening should have an ultrasound-guided Abrams needle biopsy close to the diaphragm. The goals of management are to alleviate dyspnoea, prevent re-accumulation of the pleural effusion and minimise re-admissions to hospital. As the most cost-effective strategy, we suggest early use of indwelling pleural catheters with daily drainage for 14 days, followed by talc pleurodesis if the lung expands. The insertion of an intercostal drain with talc slurry is an alternative strategy which is noninferior to thoracoscopy with talc poudrage.

Educational aims: To provide clinicians practising in resource-constrained settings with a practical evidence-based approach to the diagnosis and management of malignant pleural effusions.To explain how to perform an ultrasound-guided closed pleural biopsy.To explain the cost-effective use of indwelling pleural catheters.

Pleural infection remains a medical challenge. Although closed tube drainage revolutionised treatment in the 19th century, pleural infection still poses a significant health burden with increasing incidence. Diagnosis presents challenges due to non-specific clinical presenting features. Imaging techniques such as chest radiographs, thoracic ultrasound and computed tomography scans aid diagnosis. Pleural fluid analysis, the gold standard, involves assessing gross appearance, biochemical markers and microbiology. Novel biomarkers such as suPAR (soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor) and PAI-1 (plasminogen activator inhibitor-1) show promise in diagnosis and prognosis, and microbiology demonstrates complex microbial diversity and is associated with outcomes. The management of pleural infection involves antibiotic therapy, chest drain insertion, intrapleural fibrinolytic therapy and surgery. Antibiotic therapy relies on empirical broad-spectrum antibiotics based on local policies, infection setting and resistance patterns. Chest drain insertion is the mainstay of management, and use of intrapleural fibrinolytics facilitates effective drainage. Surgical interventions such as video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery and decortication are considered in cases not responding to medical therapy. Risk stratification tools such as the RAPID (renal, age, purulence, infection source and dietary factors) score may help guide tailored management. The roles of other modalities such as local anaesthetic medical thoracoscopy and intrapleural antibiotics are debated. Ongoing research aims to improve outcomes by matching interventions with risk profile and to better understand the development of disease.

Pleural tuberculosis (TB) is a common entity with similar epidemiological characteristics to pulmonary TB. It represents a spectrum of disease that can variably self-resolve or progress to TB empyema with severe sequelae such as chronic fibrothorax or empyema necessitans. Coexistence of and progression to pulmonary TB is high. Diagnosis is challenging, as pleural TB is paucibacillary in most cases, but every effort should be made to obtain microbiological diagnosis, especially where drug resistance is suspected. Much attention has been focussed on adjunctive investigations to support diagnosis, but clinicians must be aware that apparent diagnostic accuracy is affected both by the underlying TB prevalence in the population, and by the diagnostic standard against which the specified investigation is being evaluated. Pharmacological treatment of pleural TB is similar to that of pulmonary TB, but penetration of the pleural space may be suboptimal in complicated effusions. Evidence for routine drainage is limited, but evacuation of the pleural space is indicated in complicated disease.

Educational aims: To demonstrate that pleural TB incorporates a wide spectrum of disease, ranging from self-resolving lymphocytic effusions to severe TB empyema with serious sequelae.To emphasise the high coexistence of pulmonary TB with pleural TB, and the importance of obtaining sputum for culture (induced if necessary) in all cases.To explore the significant diagnostic challenges posed by pleural TB, and consequently the frequent lack of information about drug sensitivity prior to initiating treatment.To highlight the influence of underlying TB prevalence in the population on the diagnostic accuracy of adjunctive investigations for the diagnosis of pleural TB.To discuss concerns around penetration of anti-TB medications into the pleural space and how this can influence decisions around treatment duration in practice.

As part of the December issue, Breathe presents a podcast of early career members' highlights from the ERS Congress. Chief Editor Brian Kent discusses highlights from the ERS Congress with Joana Cruz, Siyu Dai and Sarah Alami.

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