[Evaluation of diagnostic value of PH in differentiation of pleural effusion]

ABSTRACT

The PH of pleural fluid is one of the most important criteria in determination of type of pleural effusion. It is important in decision making for chest tube insertion. Pleural PH is a sensitive index for predicting the pleurisies out come too. Pleural fluid PH is decreased in parapneomonic effusion, cancers, tuberculosis and collagen vascular diseases. This study was designed to determine the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values for better management of patients with pleural effusion. This descriptive study was conducted on 350 patients affected with pleural effusion referring to the Shahid-Beheshti University hospitals. Pleural fluid [20-30 ml] was taken from the patients and the amounts of blood sugar, proteins, WBC and HDL were measured. From the total number of the pleural effusion patients [350 patients] 266 patients had exudative pleural fluid and 84 patients had transudative pleural fluid. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and efficacy of the pleural effusion PH were 75%, 22%, 72%, 26% and 61%, respectively. Measuring the pleural PH can be useful for differentiation of exudative from transudative pleural effusion. It seems that PH measurement has lesser mistakes compared to the previous measurements