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Pleural effusion

Causes
Clinical features
Investigations
Therapy
Prognosis
Investigations

A large effusion (>½ hemithorax) increases the risk of malignancy or TB. c

Why?

A large effusion increases the risk of malignancy or TB but cannot rule them out.

Patient Target Disorder and
Reference Standard		 Diagnostic Test LR+
(95% CI) 		Post-test Probability LR-
(95% CI) 		Post-test Probability
pleural effusion c
(pre-test probability: 39%) 		malignancy or granulomatous disease
(culture or biopsy) 		large effusion 6.2
(1.9 to 21) 		80% 0.69
(0.53 to 8.9) 		31%
 

Expiry date: July 2003
Levels of Evidence used in grading these guides

Author   CM   Ball
Reviewer   D   Geddes
CAT Writers   D   Stanley , CM   Ball