Table 2 Comparison of the clinical characteristics of patients with or without spontaneous resolution of pulmonary air leak within the first five postoperative days

Sex (Male/Female)

42/11

30/7

0.83

Age

68 (63–72)

69 (64–73)

0.562

BMI

22.1 (19.0–23.9)

20.2 (18.8-23.9)

0.234

Smoking Index

880 (345–1600)

940 (600–1600)

  Never/Ever smoker

9/44

5/32

0.655

Diabetes (Yes/No)

7/46

9/28

0.174

FEV1.0%

72.8 (66.0–79.1)

70.8 (63.0–77.2)

0.325

DLCO%

92.7 (77.0–114.9)

84.4 (70.8–102.4)

0.219

COPD/IP (Yes/No)

29/24

24/13

0.336

Operative procedure (upper or bilobectomy/other)

35/18

23/14

0.706

Pleural Adhesion (major/minor or no)

7/46

7/30

0.462

Repair air leak during operation

  No

9

3

0.008

  PGA sheet or suture

23

7

  Both PGA and suture

21

27

Fibrin glue during operation (Yes/No)

48/5

35/2

0.483

Air leak at first postoperative day

  Forced expiratory only

23

13

0.006

  Expiratory only

28

14

  Continuous

2

10

Duration of air leak (days)

3 (2–4)

7 (6–10)

<0.001

Duration of drainage (days)

5 (4–6)

10 (7–16)

<0.001

Drainage amount in 5 days (ml)

1105 (849–1485)

1207 (1014–1542)

0.493

Plasma FXIII activity (%)

  Before operation

104 (86–135)

111 (95–132)

0.678

  Postoperative day 5

74 (60–87)

78 (68–103)

0.124

  Decrease ratio (%)

33 (18–45)

22 (7–36)

0.044