Pleural fluid analysis
Day 1 (at admission) | Day 16 (immediately post-thoracoscopy) | |
Colour | Straw-coloured | Black |
Appearance | Turbid | Black |
pH | 7.46 | 7.29 |
Glucose mmol·L−1 | 4.5 | |
Protein g·L−1 | 40.2 | |
Serum protein g·L−1 | 71 | |
Albumin g·L−1 | 20.6 | |
LDH U·L−1 | 358 | 980 |
Serum LDH U·L−1 | 271 | |
WBC cells·µL−1 | 328 | 1125 |
Neutrophils % | 3 | 87 |
Lymphocytes % | 93 | 7 |
Monocytes % | 4 | 6 |
RBC cells·µL−1 | 613 | 15 375 |
Gram stain | Negative | Gram-negative bacilli |
Culture | Negative | Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae |
Fungal culture | Negative | Negative |
TB PCR, smear, and culture | Negative | Not done |
Cytology | Abnormal large cohesive cells with nuclear polymorphism and vacuolated cytoplasm suspicious of malignant infiltration | Malignant cells present |
Special characteristics | Abundant mesothelial cells present | Prominent RBCs# |
Effusion characterisation | Lymphocytic, exudative, malignant effusion | Empyema in a malignant effusion |
LDH: lactate dehydrogenase; WBC: white blood cell; RBC: red blood cell; #: RBC content declined successively over the following days.