Light S Criteria Pleural Effusion Uptodate

Conclusions application of light s criteria not uncommonly misclassifies chf transudative effusions as exudates.

Light s criteria pleural effusion uptodate. Effusion fluid serum protein ratio is greater than 0 5 2. It is the dedication of healthcare workers that will lead us through this crisis. A criteria used to distinguish the pleural exudates and transudates is called as the light s criteria. Effusion ldh serum ldh ratio is greater than 0 6 3.

Using a cutoff ada level of 30 units l the authors calculated a sensitivity of 94 percent specificity of 68 percent and positive. Lower in patients with hiv infection than in hiv uninfected patients 36 versus 52 percent. 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. 1 2 3 4.

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. Light criteria for exudative pleural effusions may also be used to establish the presence of pericardial exudate patients with other etiologies of pericarditis. If applied pleural effusion criteria for transudate exudate will classify most normal pfs as exudate. They are used to classify pleural effusions into an exudate or transudate when pleural fluid protein is 25 35 g l.

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. 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. 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. According to light s criteria light et al.

A fluid is said to be exudative if the 1. The light s criteria for exudative effusions determines if pleural fluid is exudative.