Pleural effusion in drowning

Abstract

The factors that determine the amount of pleural effusion in cases of drowning have not been well established. In a series of cases of drowning from the years 1987-1991, several parameters have been registered to determine whether any correlations could be found between these and the amount of pleural fluid in the drowning victims. A statistically significant difference was found between the cases with and those without increased pleural effusion, indicating that the time spent in water is correlated to the production of pleural fluid. A significant difference was also found between saltwater and freshwater drownings, indicating that more pleural fluid is produced in saltwater than in freshwater drownings.