Light S Criteria For Pleural Effusion Pdf

Light s criteria is used to classify pleural effusion as a transudate or exudate 1 pleural effusion is the accumulation of fluid in between the parietal and visceral pleura called pleural cavity 2 pleural effusion can occur by itself or can be the result of surrounding parenchymal disease like infection malignancy or inflammatory conditions.

Light s criteria for pleural effusion pdf.

If the effusion is exudative further studies. The above criteria misidentify approximately 25 of transudates as exudates. Time to reconsider light s criteria for pleural effusion pierre alexis lepine. If a pleural effusion is likely to be a transu date initial laboratory tests can be limited to levels of protein cholesterol and lactate dehy drogenase in the pleural fluid table 4 14 15 these tests could be an alternative to all the measurements required by light s criteria.

Pleural fluid ldh more than two thirds normal upper limit for serum. An exudative effusion is diagnosed if the patient meets light s criteria. Effusion and are used to assess for light s cri teria figure 1. If one or more of the exudative criteria are met and the patient is clinically thought to have a condition producing a transudative effusion the difference.

A study of light s criteria and possible modifications for distinguishing exudative from transudative pleural effusions. Light s criteria are 99 5 sensitive for diagnosing exudative effusion. And differentiate exudative from transuda. A 70 year old man with an 80 pack year history of smoking and a history of congestive heart failure presents with increasing shortness of breath.

The light s criteria for exudative effusions determines if pleural fluid is exudative. The serum to pleural fluid protein or albumin gradients may help better categorize the. He also has aching chest pain on the right side tha. 1503 1507 view in article.

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Light s criteria two test rule three test rule pleural protein serum protein 0 5 pleural cholesterol 45 pleural fluid protein 2 9 pleural ldh serum ldh 0 6 pleural ldh 0 45 upper limit pleural cholesterol 45 pleural ldh 2 3 upper limit pleural ldh 0 45 upper limit some basic cutoffs tuberculous effusion protein is 4 0.