Chest
Clinical InvestigationsPleural DiseaseBiochemical and Cytologic Characteristics of Pleural Effusions Secondary to Pulmonary Embolism
Section snippets
Materials and Methods
We retrospectively reviewed the medical records and chest radiographs of all patients with a definitive diagnosis of pulmonary embolism who underwent diagnostic thoracentesis during the last 7 years. The chest radiographs were reviewed to assess the size and location of the pleural effusion, and the associated findings. A definitive diagnosis of pulmonary embolism was considered when an abnormal angiographic finding (pulmonary angiography or contrast-enhanced spiral CT scanning) showed distinct
Results
Sixty patients (37 men and 23 women; mean age, 60 ± 14 years; range, 31 to 88 years) complied with the conditions of the study. Twenty-five patients (42%) were smokers (mean, 42 pack/years).
One or more associated diseases were evident in 47 patients (78%; Table 1). No patients presented with signs of congestive heart failure when thoracentesis was performed; however, seven patients were receiving diuretic therapy for hypertension or previous congestive heart failure.
Pleural effusions were
Discussion
This study demonstrates the uniform exudative character of pleural effusions due to pulmonary embolism. Until 1976, most authors classified effusions due to pulmonary embolism as exudates.11121314 However, Bynum and Wilson4 published that year a study in which more than one third of the 26 patients included could have transudates. Since then, this study has been repeatedly referred to and, as far as we know, never contested in spite of significant methodologic limitations: first, in an
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Idiopathic eosinophilic pleurisy: A practical diagnostic approach
2021, Respiratory Medicine Case ReportsCitation Excerpt :In addition, respiratory infections including parapneumonic effusion and tuberculosis are also important etiologies, accounting for 10% each [1,8]. As for other etiologies of eosinophilic pleural effusion, connective tissue diseases including rheumatoid arthritis and ulcerative colitis, pulmonary embolism, benign asbestos pleural effusion and pancreatic diseases including acute pancreatitis account for a few percent of the etiologies of eosinophilic pleural effusions [1,9–11]. Importantly, in previous studies, around 20% of the cases were of unknown etiology, some of which might have been occult, rare differential diagnoses including hypereosinophilic syndrome, eosinophilic granulomatous polyangiitis, chronic eosinophilic pneumonia, chronic myeloid leukemia, human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 infection, drug-induced pleuritis, and parasitic infestations [1,12–18], although they should be diagnosed because they require specific treatments.
Pleural Effusion
2015, Murray and Nadel's Textbook of Respiratory Medicine: Volume 1,2, Sixth EditionEtiology of Pleural Effusions: Analysis of More than 3,000 Consecutive Thoracenteses
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2013, Thoracic Surgery ClinicsCitation Excerpt :The effusion is usually an exudate, and pleural fluid shows abundant erythrocytes and polymorphonuclear leukocytes. In one-fifth of patients, pleural fluid eosinophils (more than 10% of total leukocyte count) may be present.76 Effusion related to pulmonary emboli are usually self-limiting and do not require any specific management.
Pulmonary Arteries
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