A 50 years old male COVID-19 positive patient develops difficulty in breathing. You are suspecting Pleural effusion. All of the following describes that the characteristics of this pleural effusion is secondary to COVID-19 infection except?
Pleural fluid protein/serum protein < 0.5
Explanation:
This is a classic example of exudative pleural effusion
A transudative pleural effusion occurs when systemic factors that influence the formation and absorption of pleural fluid are altered. Examples are left ventricular failure and cirrhosis.
An exudative pleural effusion occurs when local factors that influence the formation and absorption of pleural fluid are altered. Examples are bacterial pneumonia, malignancy, viral infection, and pulmonary embolism
When one of the following characters are met, it is classified as Exudative pleural effusion
Pleural fluid protein/serum protein >0.5
Pleural fluid LDH/serum LDH >0.6
Pleural fluid LDH more than two-thirds the normal upper limit for serum LDH
If not, they are classified under transudate pleural effusion.
However, these criteria are subjective for clinical correlation
Reference:
Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine, 20th Edition, Pg. No: 2006