[Pleural cholesterol: a useful determination]

Rev Clin Esp. 1991 Jun;189(1):3-7.
[Article in Spanish]

Abstract

The difference between exudates and transudates is the first question a clinician must solve when facing a pleural effusion. A great number of parameters have been tried without a definite efficacy of any of them. Cholesterol is an easy, useful determination for distinguishing exudates from transudates. In our series of 86 patients a cholesterol value of 50 mg/dl allowed us to correctly classify 94.2% of effusions. The ratio between pleural fluid cholesterol/serum cholesterol was more efficient because it permitted to correctly classify 97.7% of effusions, in one of those major groups which constitute the binomial exudate/transudate.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • English Abstract

MeSH terms

  • Cholesterol / analysis*
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Exudates and Transudates / chemistry
  • Humans
  • L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / analysis
  • Pleural Effusion / diagnosis
  • Pleural Effusion / metabolism*
  • Pleural Effusion, Malignant / diagnosis
  • Pleural Effusion, Malignant / metabolism
  • Proteins / analysis

Substances

  • Proteins
  • Cholesterol
  • L-Lactate Dehydrogenase