[Ascites and pleural effusion. Study and follow-up of 79 patients]

We reviewed 79 patients with a picture of pleural effusion (EP) and ascites, who represented 8% of a total of 982 pleural effusions studied. Liver cirrhosis (CH), 37 cases (47%), disseminated carcinomatosis, 31 cases (39.5%), and congestive heart failure, 6 cases (7%), were the main causes. We made two groups of liver cirrhosis: A) liver cirrhosis with hydropic decompensation, 12 patients (15%), and B) liver cirrhosis with an additional complication added to the above, 25 patients (31.5%), this being infectious in 88% of the cases. In the B group there were cases of left hydrothorax, more features of effusion and a lower survival at 3 months of follow-up than in tha A group. Effusions of neoplastic origin were most frequently seen in tumors of the ovary, digestive system, lymphomas and undetermined origin. In malignant effusions, the cytology was positive in pleura in 60% and in ascites in 55%. Twenty percent of peritoneal fluids and 47% of pleural effusions were serohemorrhagic and 100% and 88%, respectively, were of exudative nature. In liver cirrhosis the ascites was serofibrinous and transudated (100% in group A and 85.5% in B) and the pleural effusion was a serofibrinous transudate except in the cases in which there was an added infection. We confirm the ominous prognosis of the coexistence of pleural effusion and ascites.