Causes of Pleural effusion
List of causes of Pleural effusion
Following is a list of causes or underlying conditions
(see also Misdiagnosis of underlying causes of Pleural effusion)
that could possibly cause Pleural effusion includes:
More causes:
see full list of causes for Pleural effusion
Causes of Pleural effusion (Diseases Database):
The follow list shows some of the possible medical causes of Pleural effusion
that are listed by the Diseases Database:
Source: Diseases Database
Pleural effusion Causes: Book Excerpts
Pleural effusion as a complication of other conditions:
Other conditions that might have
Pleural effusion as a complication may,
potentially, be an underlying cause of Pleural effusion.
Our database lists the following as having
Pleural effusion as a complication of that condition:
Pleural effusion as a symptom:
Conditions listing Pleural effusion
as a symptom may also be potential underlying causes of Pleural effusion.
Our database lists the following as having
Pleural effusion as a symptom of that condition:
Medications or substances causing Pleural effusion:
The following drugs, medications, substances or toxins are some of the possible
causes of Pleural effusion as a symptom.
This list is incomplete and various other drugs or substances
may cause your symptoms.
Always advise your doctor of any medications or treatments you are using,
including prescription, over-the-counter, supplements, herbal or alternative treatments.
Read more about medication causes of Pleural effusion
Related information on causes of Pleural effusion:
As with all medical conditions,
there may be many causal factors.
Further relevant information on causes of Pleural effusion may be found in:
Causes of Pleural effusion: Online Medical Books
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Review excerpts from medical books online, free, without registration,
for more information about the causes of Pleural effusion.
Pleural effusion and empyema:
Causes
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))
The balance of osmotic and hydrostatic pressures in parietal pleural capillaries normally results in fluid movement into the pleural space. Balanced pressures in visceral pleural capillaries promote reabsorption of this fluid. Excessive hydrostatic pressure or decreased osmotic pressure can cause excessive amounts of fluid to pass across intact capillaries. The result is a transudative pleural effusion, an ultrafiltrate of plasma containing low concentrations of protein. Such effusions frequently result from heart failure, hepatic disease with ascites, peritoneal dialysis, hypoalbuminemia, and disorders resulting in overexpanded intravascular volume.
Exudative pleural effusions result when capillaries exhibit increased permeability with or without changes in hydrostatic and colloid osmotic pressures, allowing protein-rich fluid to leak into the pleural space. Exudative pleural effusions occur with tuberculosis (TB), subphrenic abscess, pancreatitis, bacterial or fungal pneumonitis or empyema, malignancy, pulmonary embolism with or without infarction, collagen disease (lupus erythematosus[LE]and rheumatoid arthritis), myxedema, and chest trauma.
Empyema is usually associated with infection in the pleural space. Such infection may be idiopathic or may be related to pneumonitis, carcinoma, perforation, or esophageal rupture.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005
Pleural effusion and empyema:
Causes
(Handbook of Diseases)
The balance of osmotic and hydrostatic pressures in parietal pleural capillaries normally results in fluid movement into the pleural space. Balanced pressures in visceral pleural capillaries promote reabsorption of this fluid.
Transudative pleural effusion
Excessive hydrostatic pressure or decreased osmotic pressure can cause excessive amounts of fluid to pass across intact capillaries. The result is a trans-udative pleural effusion, an ultrafiltrate of plasma containing low concentrations of protein. Such effusions commonly result from heart failure, hepatic disease with ascites, peritoneal dialysis, hypoalbuminemia, and disorders resulting in overexpanded intra-vascular volume.
Exudative pleural effusion
Exudative pleural effusions result when capillaries exhibit increased permeability with or without changes in hydrostatic and colloid osmotic pressures, allowing protein-rich fluid to leak into the pleural space.
Exudative pleural effusions occur with tuberculosis, subphrenic abscess, pancreatitis, bacterial or fungal pneumonitis or empyema, malignancy, pulmonary embolism (with or without infarction), collagen disease (lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis), myxedema, and chest trauma.
Empyema
Usually associated with infection in the pleural space, empyema may be idiopathic or may be related to pneumonitis, carcinoma, perforation, or esoph-ageal rupture.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Handbook of Diseases, 2003
Pleural Effusion:
Pleural Effusion - pathophysiology
(The 5-Minute Pediatric Consult)
- Dependent on the underlying disease
- 2 types of pleural effusion:
- Transudate: Mechanical forces of hydrostatic and oncotic pressures are altered, favoring liquid filtration.
- Exudate: Damage to the pleural surface occurs that alters its ability to filter pleural fluid; lymphatic drainage is diminished.
- Stages associated with parapneumonic effusions (infectious exudates):
- Exudative stage:
- Free-flowing fluid
- Pleural fluid glucose, protein, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level, and pH are normal.
- Fibrinolytic stage:
- Loculations are forming.
- Increase in fibrin, polymorphonuclear leukocytes, and bacterial invasion of pleural cavity are occurring.
- Pleural fluid glucose and pH falls while protein and LDH levels increase.
- Organizing stage (empyema):
- Fibroblasts grow.
- Pleural peal forms.
- Pleural fluid parameters worsen.
Pleural Effusion - etiology
- Normally 1–15 mL of fluid in the pleural space
- Alterations in the flow and/or absorption of this fluid lead to its accumulation.
- Mechanisms that influence this flow of fluid:
- Increased capillary hydrostatic pressure (i.e., CHF, overhydration)
- Decreased pleural space hydrostatic pressure (i.e., after thoracentesis, atelectasis)
- Decreased plasma oncotic pressure (i.e., hypoalbuminemia, nephrosis)
- Increased capillary permeability (i.e., infection, toxins, connective tissue diseases, malignancy)
- Impaired lymphatic drainage from the pleural space (i.e., disruption of the thoracic duct)
- Passage of fluid from the peritoneal cavity through the diaphragm to the pleural space (i.e., hepatic cirrhosis with ascites)
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: The 5-Minute Pediatric Consult, 2008
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