title: [The usefulness of cholesterol determination in the etiology of pleural effusion].
abstract: 95 pleural effusions of different etiology were studied. 25 were transudate, 22 neoplastic, 28 caused by tuberculosis, and 20 miscellaneous. The Light parameters (pleural protein/plasma) (Prot LP/P), Pleural LDH (LDH LP) and LDH pleural/plasma quotient (LDH LP/P) were determined and compared with the efficacy of pleural cholesterol (Chol LP) and pleural cholesterol/plasma quotient (Chol LP/P) to differentiate the transudate from pleural exudate. With Prot LP/P quotient the sensitivity was of 85% and the specificity 91.6%; with LDH LP the sensitivity was of 74.6% and the specificity 97.6%. With the LDH LP/P quotient the sensitivity was of 89% and the specificity 87.8%. The sensitivity of each parameter was similar to that obtained by Light but less specific. All the transudates had levels of chol LP lower than 55 mq/dl (100% specificity) with a sensitivity of 84%. The Chol LP/P quotient had a limit of 0.3, this being its sensitivity of 91.3% and 93.1% its specificity. The presence of both parameters were necessary to the classification and the sensitivity obtained being of 80.3% and the specificity 100%. We concluded that the determinations of Chol LP and the Chol LP/P quotient are of great advantage in differentiating the pleural transudate from pleural exudate and the predictive value is, at least, similar to that obtained by Light.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Valdés Cuadrado
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pose Reino
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: González Ponce
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Suárez Dono
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000032:analysis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D016066:Pleural Effusion, Malignant / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D011379:Prognosis; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D002784:Cholesterol
vernacular_title: Utilidad de la determinación del colesterol en la etiología del derrame pleural.