Pleural Effusion in End Stage Renal Failure Patients

The aim of this study was to determine the causes of pleural effusion in patients who experienced end-stage renal failure and did not demonstrate any regression of effusion with dialysis treatment.

Patients with pleural effusion that did not regress though they attained dry weight with dialysis and those with 2 years of follow-up were included in the study. The mean age of the patients was 48.16±14.5 years. Thirty-five patients were receiving hemodialysis treatment and 8 (18%) were continuous peritoneal dialysis patients. Ascites Ascites (n=6), pleural effusion (n=13), both ascites and pleural effusion (n=5), and pleural effusion that was bilateral (n=22, 51%), right-sided (n=13, 30%), and left-sided (n=8:18%) were detected. According to Light's criteria, the pleural effusion was classified as exudate in 40 (93%) cases and transudate in 3 (7%). Microbiological examination did not identify any pathological agent in any case, and cytological examinations did not reveal atypical cells. The causes of pleural effusion were infection (tuberculosis: n=20, 46%), pneumonia (n=3, 7%), empyema (n=1, 2%), malignancy (lung cancer: n=3, 7%; renal carcinoma: (1, 2%), collagen diseases (n=1, 2%), hepatic abscess (n=1, 2%), pulmonary thromboembolism (n=2, 4%), and idiopathic causes (n=11, 25%).

The causes of pleural effusion were infection (tuberculosis: n=20, 46%), pneumonia (n=3, 7%), empyema (n=1, 2%), malignancy (lung cancer: n=3, 7%; renal carcinoma: n=1, 2%), collagen disease (n=1, 2%), hepatic abscess (n=1, 2%), pulmonary thromboembolism (n=2, 4%), and idiopathic cases (n=11, 25%).

Tuberculosis was the most common cause of pleural effusion that did not regress with dialysis treatment.