Differentiation of Exudates from Transudate Pleural Effusion by Measuring Cholesterol and Bilirubin

Introduction & Objective: Differentiating exudates from transudate is the first step in examining pleural effusion. Moreover, it is a guide for determination of pathologic trend of background diseases and differential diagnosis. Although Light’s criteria are considered as standard in differenti...

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Main Authors: B Ataei, A Araghy, M Fasihi Dastjerdi, Z Farajzadegan
Format: Article
Language:fas
Published: Yasuj University Of Medical Sciences 2007-10-01
Series:Armaghane Danesh Bimonthly Journal
Subjects:
Online Access:http://armaghanj.yums.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-39-41&slc_lang=en&sid=1
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author B Ataei
A Araghy
M Fasihi Dastjerdi
Z Farajzadegan
author_facet B Ataei
A Araghy
M Fasihi Dastjerdi
Z Farajzadegan
author_sort B Ataei
collection DOAJ
description Introduction & Objective: Differentiating exudates from transudate is the first step in examining pleural effusion. Moreover, it is a guide for determination of pathologic trend of background diseases and differential diagnosis. Although Light’s criteria are considered as standard in differentiating exudates from transudate, in some studies pleural fluid cholesterol, ratio of pleural fluid cholesterol to serum and ratio of pleural fluid bilirubin to serum have been considered. This study was performed to investigate the diagnostic efficacy of cholesterol and bilirubin of pleural fluid in differentiating exudates from transudate pleural effusion. Materials & Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed in Al-Zahra Hospital, Isfahan in 1384, where 86 cases of pleural effusion were assessed by easy and consecutive sampling method. After differentiation of patients with exudates from transudate pleural effusion, based on light’s criteria, related parameters were measured. Using ROC (Receiver Operative Characteristics) curves, area under the curve was determined following by determination of sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative predictive values. Results were analyzed by MC Nemar test. Results: From 86 studied patients, 59 cases were exudates and 27 cases were transudates. Considering the pleural cholesterol above 43 mg/dl as cut off, a sensitivity of 73.8% and specificity of 92% were obtained for the method. Decreasing the cut off level to 35.5 mg/dl, the sensitivity was increased and reached to 81.4%. Ratio of pleural fluid cholesterol to serum more than 0.3 had a sensitivity of 65%, 88% specificity and 85% efficiency for differentiation of pleural effusion while ratio of pleural fluid bilirubin to serum more than 0.6 had 76.3% sensitivity, 74.1% specificity and 75.6% efficacy. Conclusion: The criterion on 3 g/dl protein had the highest sensitivity and specificity in differentiating exudates from transudate pleural effusion and can be used as the best determinant alone. Also pleural fluid cholesterol more than 35.5 mg/dl has suitable sensitivity and specificity and the combination of pleural fluid protein and cholesterol can be used as the best practical determinant. The criterion of pleural fluid cholesterol to serum ratio more than 0.3 has low sensitivity and with reduction of this ratio to 0.14, its sensitivity increases but its specificity will decrease.
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spelling doaj.art-fb903ec0cd0846609889ec11e5160c032022-12-22T03:25:09ZfasYasuj University Of Medical SciencesArmaghane Danesh Bimonthly Journal1728-65061728-65142007-10-011232536Differentiation of Exudates from Transudate Pleural Effusion by Measuring Cholesterol and BilirubinB Ataei0A Araghy1M Fasihi Dastjerdi2Z Farajzadegan3 Introduction & Objective: Differentiating exudates from transudate is the first step in examining pleural effusion. Moreover, it is a guide for determination of pathologic trend of background diseases and differential diagnosis. Although Light’s criteria are considered as standard in differentiating exudates from transudate, in some studies pleural fluid cholesterol, ratio of pleural fluid cholesterol to serum and ratio of pleural fluid bilirubin to serum have been considered. This study was performed to investigate the diagnostic efficacy of cholesterol and bilirubin of pleural fluid in differentiating exudates from transudate pleural effusion. Materials & Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed in Al-Zahra Hospital, Isfahan in 1384, where 86 cases of pleural effusion were assessed by easy and consecutive sampling method. After differentiation of patients with exudates from transudate pleural effusion, based on light’s criteria, related parameters were measured. Using ROC (Receiver Operative Characteristics) curves, area under the curve was determined following by determination of sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative predictive values. Results were analyzed by MC Nemar test. Results: From 86 studied patients, 59 cases were exudates and 27 cases were transudates. Considering the pleural cholesterol above 43 mg/dl as cut off, a sensitivity of 73.8% and specificity of 92% were obtained for the method. Decreasing the cut off level to 35.5 mg/dl, the sensitivity was increased and reached to 81.4%. Ratio of pleural fluid cholesterol to serum more than 0.3 had a sensitivity of 65%, 88% specificity and 85% efficiency for differentiation of pleural effusion while ratio of pleural fluid bilirubin to serum more than 0.6 had 76.3% sensitivity, 74.1% specificity and 75.6% efficacy. Conclusion: The criterion on 3 g/dl protein had the highest sensitivity and specificity in differentiating exudates from transudate pleural effusion and can be used as the best determinant alone. Also pleural fluid cholesterol more than 35.5 mg/dl has suitable sensitivity and specificity and the combination of pleural fluid protein and cholesterol can be used as the best practical determinant. The criterion of pleural fluid cholesterol to serum ratio more than 0.3 has low sensitivity and with reduction of this ratio to 0.14, its sensitivity increases but its specificity will decrease.http://armaghanj.yums.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-39-41&slc_lang=en&sid=1Pleural Fluid Exudate Transudate Bilirubin Cholesterol
spellingShingle B Ataei
A Araghy
M Fasihi Dastjerdi
Z Farajzadegan
Differentiation of Exudates from Transudate Pleural Effusion by Measuring Cholesterol and Bilirubin
Armaghane Danesh Bimonthly Journal
Pleural Fluid
Exudate
Transudate
Bilirubin
Cholesterol
title Differentiation of Exudates from Transudate Pleural Effusion by Measuring Cholesterol and Bilirubin
title_full Differentiation of Exudates from Transudate Pleural Effusion by Measuring Cholesterol and Bilirubin
title_fullStr Differentiation of Exudates from Transudate Pleural Effusion by Measuring Cholesterol and Bilirubin
title_full_unstemmed Differentiation of Exudates from Transudate Pleural Effusion by Measuring Cholesterol and Bilirubin
title_short Differentiation of Exudates from Transudate Pleural Effusion by Measuring Cholesterol and Bilirubin
title_sort differentiation of exudates from transudate pleural effusion by measuring cholesterol and bilirubin
topic Pleural Fluid
Exudate
Transudate
Bilirubin
Cholesterol
url http://armaghanj.yums.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-39-41&slc_lang=en&sid=1
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AT mfasihidastjerdi differentiationofexudatesfromtransudatepleuraleffusionbymeasuringcholesterolandbilirubin
AT zfarajzadegan differentiationofexudatesfromtransudatepleuraleffusionbymeasuringcholesterolandbilirubin