Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2016 Aug;18(8):666-72.
doi: 10.1177/1098612X15592170. Epub 2015 Jun 26.

Diagnostic value of Light's criteria and albumin gradient in classifying the pathophysiology of pleural effusion formation in cats

Andrea Zoia  1 , Michele Drigo  2
Affiliations

Diagnostic value of Light's criteria and albumin gradient in classifying the pathophysiology of pleural effusion formation in cats

Andrea Zoia et al. J Feline Med Surg. 2016 Aug.

Abstract

The primary aim of this study was to assess whether human Light's criteria with the cut-off values previously published for cats are useful and superior to the traditional veterinary classification in diagnosing pathophysiology of fluid formation in cats with pleural effusion. The secondary aim was to assess if the albumin gradient (ALBg) is a reliable criterion for differentiating exudates from transudates in patients with pleural effusion thought to be transudative by clinical criteria but identified as exudative by Light's criteria. Nineteen client-owned cats with pleural effusion were studied. The aetiology of the pleural effusion was used to establish the pathophysiology of its formation. Parameters measured or calculated undergoing statistical analysis included Light's criteria, total protein and total nucleated cell count in the pleural effusions, and the ALBg. Based on the pathophysiology of fluid formation there were seven transudates caused by increased hydrostatic pressure and 12 exudates. There was a significant difference in the accuracy of the Light's criteria in correctly classifying origin of the pleural fluid formation compared with the traditional veterinary classification (84% vs 53%). ALBg values were significantly different between transudates and exudates. One of the three transudates misclassified as exudates by Light's criteria was correctly identified as a transudate by the ALBg. In conclusion, pleural effusion should be classified as either a transudate or an exudate using Light's criteria. In cats with pleural effusion thought to be transudative by clinical criteria, but identified as exudative by Light's criteria, the ALBg may further help in correctly differentiating exudates from transudates.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors do not have any potential conflicts of interest to declare.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Receiving operator characteristic (ROC) plots of pleural fluid values for albumin gradient (ALBg). The optimum cut-off level (blue dot) was determined by selecting test values that provided the greatest sum of sensitivity and specificity. The optimum cut-off level for ALBg was ⩽14 g/l
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Porcel JM, Light RW. Diagnostic approach to pleural effusion in adults. Am Fam Physician 2006; 73: 1211–1120. - PubMed
    1. Rose BD, Post TW. Edematous states. In: Rose BD, Post T. (eds). Clinical physiology of acid–base and electrolyte disorders. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2001, pp 478–534.
    1. Light RW, MacGregory MI, Luchsinger PC, et al. . Pleural effusion: the diagnostic separation of transudates and exudates. Ann Intern Med 1972; 77: 507–513. - PubMed
    1. Burgess LJ, Martiz FJ, Talljaard JJF. Comparative analysis of the biochemical parameters used to distinguish between pleural transudates and exudates. Chest 1995; 107: 1604–1609. - PubMed
    1. Light RW. Diagnostic principles in pleural disease. Eur Respir J 1997; 10: 476–481. - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources