Abouzgheib W, et al. - In this prospective, controlled study, researchers assessed how pleural pressure (Ppl) profile during thoracentesis was influenced by the application of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) at +5 cm H₂O in 49 consecutive adults who underwent thoracentesis. The CPAP group included patients using CPAP at +5 cm H₂O and the control group had patients without CPAP. In both the groups, serial Ppl were compared by means of pleural manometry. A significantly greater change in volume per centimeter water column pressure was detected in the CPAP group. The thoracentesis-induced decreases in Ppl were mitigated by the application of CPAP at +5 cm H₂O via an increase in pleural compliance.