Etiology and clinical profile of pleural effusion in a teaching hospital of south India : A descriptive study

Pleural effusion can occur as complication of many diseases. They are classified broadly in to exudative and transudative effusion based on Light's criteria. Common causes of transudative effusions are congestive cardiac failure, cirrhosis, nephrotic syndrome, superior venacava obstruction, peritoneal dialysis, glomerulonephritis, myxoedema, pulmonary emboli and sarcoidosis whereas exudative PE is caused by neoplastic diseases, infections, pulmonary embolism, gastrointestinal diseases, collagen vascular diseases, drug induced, iatrogenic, hemothorax and chylothorax. In an epidemiological study from Czech Republic it was found that four leading causes of PEs were congestive heart failure, malignancy, pneumonia and pulmonary embolism in the order of frequency.1 When pleural fluid is detected, an effort should be made to determine which among the conditions listed above is responsible and is a challenge to the physician.