Extended Light's Criteria

This morning we discussed an approach to pleural effusion.

 

One concept we discussed was the possibility of transforming transudative pleural fluid in patients receiving diuretic therapy to an exudate.

In such cases we can use the “extended Light’s criteria”, which is to calculate the total protein gradient (serum minus pleural fluid). The fluid is a transudate if the total protein gradient is greater than 31g/L.

Here is a previous post about the Light’s criteria with a review article by Dr. Light himself!