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Acute pyelonephritis associated with transudative pleural effusion in a middle-aged woman without urinary tract
I-Kuan Wang1, Feng-Rong Chuang, Hung-Yu Chang
1Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chiayi, and Chang Gung University, Taiwan, ROC.
Objective:
To describe a case of acute pyelonephritis associated with pleural effusion.
Clinical Presentation And Intervention:
A 39-year-old female non-smoker who had Escherichia coli bacteremia due to acute pyelonephritis, developed bilateral transudative pleural effusions during hospitalization. She was successfully treated with intravenous antibiotic therapy. Follow-up chest radiographs revealed complete resolution of the bilateral pleural effusions.
Conclusion:
Though quite rare, pleural effusion is a potential complication of acute pyelonephritis. The exact pathogenesis of transudative pleural effusion is unknown, but the effusion may resolve spontaneously when infection is adequately controlled.
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