A study on significance of serum effusion albumin gradient in the differential diagnosis in pleural effusion
Answers
Answered by
1
Department of Medicine , R.G. Kar Medical College , Calcutta
Significance of serum-effusion albumin gradient in the differential diagnosis of pleural effusion
Indian Journal of Tuberculosis. 2000 Oct; 47(4): 229-31
ABSTRACT: The aim of the study, carried out in the Department of Medicine, R.G. Kar Medical College, Calcutta from May, 1998 to April, 2000 was to compare serum - effusion albumin gradient (serum albumin level - pleural effusion albumin level) with Light's traditional criteria (pleural fluid/serum total protein ratio>0.5; pleural fluid/serum LDH ratio>0.6 and pleural fluid LDH > 200 IU/I) for differentiating between exudative and transudative pleural effusions. Fifty consecutive patients of pleural effusion-33 male and 17 female, in the age range of 15-75 years-were studied. For clinical diagnosis of the patients, biochemical tests on serum and pleural effusion fluid were done. The serum -effusion albumin gradient and Light's criteria were compared. Light's criteria correctly identified all the exudates but misdiagnosed 2 of 5 transudates (cases of heart failure). By using albumin gradient of 1.2g/dl or less to indicate exudate and greater volume to indicate transudate, all the patients (35 exudates and 15 transudates) were correctly diagnosed. Light's criteria are accurate for identifying exudates but not so much in the case of transudates. The serum -effusion albumin gradient is accurate equally for exudates and transudates.
KEYWORDS:
Tuberculosis, Pleural Effusion/DI; Heart Failure, Congestive/DT; Diuretics; Tuberculosis/ET; Neoplasms/ET; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/ET; Data Interpretation, Statistical; Human
Significance of serum-effusion albumin gradient in the differential diagnosis of pleural effusion
Indian Journal of Tuberculosis. 2000 Oct; 47(4): 229-31
ABSTRACT: The aim of the study, carried out in the Department of Medicine, R.G. Kar Medical College, Calcutta from May, 1998 to April, 2000 was to compare serum - effusion albumin gradient (serum albumin level - pleural effusion albumin level) with Light's traditional criteria (pleural fluid/serum total protein ratio>0.5; pleural fluid/serum LDH ratio>0.6 and pleural fluid LDH > 200 IU/I) for differentiating between exudative and transudative pleural effusions. Fifty consecutive patients of pleural effusion-33 male and 17 female, in the age range of 15-75 years-were studied. For clinical diagnosis of the patients, biochemical tests on serum and pleural effusion fluid were done. The serum -effusion albumin gradient and Light's criteria were compared. Light's criteria correctly identified all the exudates but misdiagnosed 2 of 5 transudates (cases of heart failure). By using albumin gradient of 1.2g/dl or less to indicate exudate and greater volume to indicate transudate, all the patients (35 exudates and 15 transudates) were correctly diagnosed. Light's criteria are accurate for identifying exudates but not so much in the case of transudates. The serum -effusion albumin gradient is accurate equally for exudates and transudates.
KEYWORDS:
Tuberculosis, Pleural Effusion/DI; Heart Failure, Congestive/DT; Diuretics; Tuberculosis/ET; Neoplasms/ET; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/ET; Data Interpretation, Statistical; Human
Similar questions