EpistemisLight's Criteria for Pleural Effusion
They separate exudate from transudate, which is the first fork in the diagnosis of any effusion. It is enough for one of the three to be met to classify it as an exudate; The price of this sensitivity is mislabeling some diuretic transudates, and that is what gradients are for.
Required inputs
| Variable | Example value |
|---|---|
| Proteins in pleural fluid (g/dL) | 3.5 |
| Serum protein (g/dL) | 6.5 |
| LDH in pleural fluid (U/L) | 250 |
| Serum LDH (U/L) | 200 |
| Upper limit of normal for serum LDH in your laboratory (U/L) | 225 |
| Serum albumin (g/dL) | 3.8 |
| Albumin in pleural fluid (g/dL) | 2.2 |
Run the calculation in the app
This page explains the score but does not run it. In Epistemis, the calculator validates units, flags values outside physiological ranges, and provides the interpretation that a number alone cannot convey.
Epistemis is educational review material. It is not a medical device, does not diagnose or prescribe treatment, and does not replace formal medical training, current clinical guidelines, or professional clinical judgment.
- Specialty
- Pneumology and Respiratory
- Area
- Internal Medicine
- Variables
- 7