QuestionSBA
QuestionChoice
Lung cancer is a cause of exudative pleural effusions (>35g/L). Furthermore, a patient with lung cancer would more likely present with a several-month history of dry cough and chest pain as opposed to a one week history.
10001263
c
Lung Cancer
QuestionChoice
This is a cause of transudative pleural effusion, however, only occurs alongside an ovarian tumour which would not be possible for this male patient.
10001262
b
Meig's syndrome
QuestionChoice
This is a cause of exudative pleural effusions and on aspiration presents with frank pus and pH <7.2.
10001265
e
Empyema
QuestionChoice
Pneumothorax would present with pleuritic chest pain as well as increased vocal resonance and hype resonance on percussion. It is not a cause of pleural effusions.
10001264
d
Pneumothorax
QuestionChoice
Heart failure is a cause of transudative pleural effusions with low protein levels (<35g/L) as per light's criteria. Light's criteria states that an effusion is an exudate if: the pleural fluid to serum protein ratio is >0.5, the pleural fluid to serum LDH ratio is >0.6, or the pleural fluid LDH is >2/3 the upper reference limit for serum LDH. If these criteria are not satisfied, then the effusion is transudative.
10001261
a
Heart Failure
Concept
Chapter
2693
3900
Pleural effusion
Topic
132
Respiratory
12799
A 70-year-old male presents to the Emergency Department with a 1-week history of pleuritic chest pain and a new cough. His past medical history includes a 20-year history of hypertension and he has smoked for 40 years.


On examination, there is stony dullness to percussion in the left lung base, reduced breath sounds, and reduced vocal resonance.


A chest x-ray shows a left-sided pleural effusion. The fluid aspirated has a protein level of 30g/L.


What is the most likely cause of this patient's pleural effusion?
a