Role of pleural viscosity in the differential diagnosis of exudative pleural effusion


Yetkin O., Tek I., Yetkin F., Numanoglu N.

RESPIROLOGY, vol.12, no.2, pp.267-271, 2007 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 12 Issue: 2
  • Publication Date: 2007
  • Doi Number: 10.1111/j.1440-1843.2006.01041.x
  • Journal Name: RESPIROLOGY
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.267-271
  • Inonu University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Determining the aetiology of an effusion involves assessing if it is an exudate or a transudate. However, a reliable test for determining the aetiology of a pleural effusion is lacking. Pleural viscosity has a high sensitivity and specificity and a high positive and negative predictive value for discriminating exudative and transudative pleural effusions. The aim of this study was to use pleural fluid viscosity to discriminate between various aetiologies of exudative effusions, namely malignant, parapneumonic and tuberculous.