Light S Criteria Pleural Effusion Uptodate

A criteria used to distinguish the pleural exudates and transudates is called as the light s criteria.

Light s criteria pleural effusion uptodate.

A fluid is said to be exudative if the 1. This is an unprecedented time. Light s criteria determination of transudate versus exudate source of pleural effusion fluid is exudate if one or more of the following light s criteria is present. Background light s criteria are ratios of pleural fluid to serum total protein tp pleural fluid to serum lactate dehydrogenase ldh and pleural fluid ldh to the upper reference limit for serum ldh.

Effusion ldh serum ldh ratio is greater than 0 6 3. 1 2 3 4. Using a cutoff ada level of 30 units l the authors calculated a sensitivity of 94 percent specificity of 68 percent and positive. Effusion fluid serum protein ratio is greater than 0 5 2.

Light criteria for exudative pleural effusions may also be used to establish the presence of pericardial exudate patients with other etiologies of pericarditis. Pericardial effusion is not simply an ultrafiltrate of plasma and has higher concentrations of ldh and cells than expected by a simple transudate according to light s criteria. If applied pleural effusion criteria for transudate exudate will classify most normal pfs as exudate. Light s criteria are nearly 100 percent sensitive at identifying exudates but approximately 20 percent of patients with pleural effusion caused by heart failure may fulfill the criteria for an.

In cases where no cause for an exudative effusion can be identified or chf is suspected the sequential application of the fluid ldh followed by the sf p and then the sf a gradients may assist in reclassifying pleural effusions. 1972 a pleural effusion is likely exudative if at least one of the following exists. An accurate diagnosis of the cause of the effusion transudate versus exudate relies on a comparison of the chemistries in the pleural fluid to those in the blood using light s criteria. Lower in patients with hiv infection than in hiv uninfected patients 36 versus 52 percent.

The light s criteria for exudative effusions determines if pleural fluid is exudative. They are used to classify pleural effusions into an exudate or transudate when pleural fluid protein is 25 35 g l.