Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How to tell types of fluid in cat chest swelling
By Zoia, Andrea et al.·Published in Journal of feline medicine and surgery·2009·UCD School of Agriculture·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: A new approach to pleural effusion in cats: markers for distinguishing transudates from exudates.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of 20 cats with fluid buildup in their chest (pleural effusion) were evaluated to determine the cause of the fluid. The study found that certain tests, particularly measuring specific proteins in the fluid, were very effective in distinguishing between two types of fluid: transudates and exudates. This is important because it helps veterinarians decide on the best treatment. If your cat has pleural effusion, these tests can provide valuable information to guide their care and improve their chances of recovery.
People also search for: cat pleural effusion treatment · cat fluid in chest causes · how to tell if cat has pleural effusion
Abstract
Classification of pleural effusion (PE) is central to diagnosis. Traditional veterinary classification has distinguished between transudates, modified transudates and exudates. In human medicine PEs are divided into only two categories: transudates and exudates. The aim of this study was to evaluate, in 20 cats presented with PE, paired samples of serum and pleural fluid for the following parameters: Light's criteria (pleural fluid lactate dehydrogenase concentration (LDHp), pleural fluid/serum LDH ratio, pleural fluid/serum total protein ratio (TPr)), pleural fluid total protein, pleural fluid cholesterol concentration, pleural fluid/serum cholesterol ratio (CHOLr), serum-effusion cholesterol gradient (serum cholesterol minus PE cholesterol concentration (CHOLg)), PE total nucleated cells count (TNCCp) and pleural fluid glucose (GLUp). LDHp and TPr were found most reliable when distinguishing between transudates and exudates, with sensitivity of 100% and 91% and specificity of 100%, respectively. When conflict between the clinical picture and laboratory results exists, calculation of CHOLr, CHOLg and TNCCp measurement may help in the classification of the effusion. Measurement of serum albumin (in the case of a transudate) may provide additional information regarding the pathogenesis of the effusion.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19539512/