Chest ACCP Member Benefits
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

Guest Access | Sign In via User Name/Password
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF) Free
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Article Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Brandstetter, R. D.
Right arrow Articles by Karetzky, M.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Brandstetter, R. D.
Right arrow Articles by Karetzky, M.

Chest, Vol 105, 1458-1461, Copyright © 1994 by American College of Chest Physicians

ARTICLES

Postural changes in pleural fluid constituents

RD Brandstetter, V Velazquez, C Viejo and M Karetzky
New Rochelle Hospital Medical Center, NY.

Measurement of pleural fluid constituents (pH, PCO2, protein, lactic dehydrogenase [LDH], glucose, red blood cells [RBC], and white blood cells [WBC]) are of value in the diagnosis of pleural effusions and in the separation of exudates from transudates. The position of the patient (sitting or lying) prior to thoracentesis may result in differences in the measurement of these constituents. We found significant postural changes (p < 0.05) in the measurement of pH, protein, LDH, and RBCs in all exudative effusions (n = 12) in the upright sitting position compared with the supine position. No postural changes were noted in the transudative effusions (n = 6). The location of basal pleural tumors and the molecular weight of certain constituents may explain this postural sedimentary effect. Repeated thoracentesis after 30 min in the sitting position may result in exudative values when borderline transudates are found in a patient previously in a supine position.




HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 1994 by the American College of Chest Physicians.