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Effects of coexisting pneumonia and end-stage renal disease on pleural fluid analysis in patients with hydrostatic pleural effusion.
Doelken, Peter; Huggins, John T; Goldblatt, Mark; Nietert, Paul; Sahn, Steven A.
Affiliation
  • Doelken P; Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY. Electronic address: Doelkep@mail.amc.edu.
  • Huggins JT; Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Allergy and Sleep Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC.
  • Goldblatt M; Mission Hospital, Asheville, NC.
  • Nietert P; Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC.
  • Sahn SA; Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Allergy and Sleep Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC.
Chest ; 143(6): 1709-1716, 2013 Jun.
Article in En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-23288037
ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:

In individual patients, especially those who are hospitalized, several conditions often coexist that may be responsible for the development of a pleural effusion and may affect the pleural fluid analysis (PFA). The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of end-stage renal disease and pneumonia on PFA in patients with hydrostatic pleural effusion.

METHODS:

In a retrospective analysis of 1,064 consecutive patients who underwent thoracentesis at a university hospital, cell counts and pleural fluid protein, lactate dehydrogenase, pH, and glucose levels were examined in those (n = 300) with clinical evidence of hydrostatic pleural effusion.

RESULTS:

The 300 patients (28.1%) with pleural effusions had congestive heart failure (CHF), circulatory overload (CO), or both. Expert consensus was achieved in 66 (22%) for CHF as the sole diagnosis (SCHF), 30 (10%) for CHF and coexisting pneumonia (PCHF), and 26 (8.7%) for end-stage renal disease (ESRD) with coexisting CO or CHF. The remaining 178 patients were excluded because of complicating conditions. There were minor, but statistically significant differences in pleural fluid/serum protein ratios in patients with ESRD with coexisting CO or CHF compared with SCHF. Compared with SCHF, there were statistically significant tendencies for higher protein and lactate dehydrogenase concentrations and lower pH levels in those with PCHF. The total nucleated cell count and the absolute neutrophil count were significantly higher in PCHF.

CONCLUSIONS:

ESRD in patients with hydrostatic pleural effusions has a minimal effect on the PFA. Coexisting pneumonia most often results in an exudative effusion in patients with CHF.
Subject(s)

Full text: 1 Collection: 01-internacional Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Pleural Effusion / Pneumonia / Exudates and Transudates / Heart Failure / Kidney Failure, Chronic Type of study: Observational_studies / Risk_factors_studies Limits: Female / Humans / Male Language: En Journal: Chest Year: 2013 Document type: Article

Full text: 1 Collection: 01-internacional Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Pleural Effusion / Pneumonia / Exudates and Transudates / Heart Failure / Kidney Failure, Chronic Type of study: Observational_studies / Risk_factors_studies Limits: Female / Humans / Male Language: En Journal: Chest Year: 2013 Document type: Article