title: [Pleural fluid to serum cholinesterase ratio to discriminate between transudates and exudates: reevaluation in 177 patients].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In a previous study we concluded that the pleural fluid/serum (PF/S) ratio of cholinesterase was the most useful parameter to discriminate between exudates and transudates. The objective of the present study was to confirm these findings in a prospective series of patients with pleural effusion.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 177 patients, consecutively studied at two institutions, with the diagnosis of pleural effusion were included in this study. Thirty-six (20.3%) effusion were transudates and 141 (79.7%) exudates; of these, 73 and 68 were of malignant and benign origin, respectively. Both PF/S cholinesterase and Light's criteria were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The PF/S cholinesterase ratio incorrectly classified 12 pleural effusions (6.8%). These included 7 out the 36 transudates (19.4%) and 5 out of the 141 exudates (3.5%), the latter of malignant etiology. Following Light's criteria, four (2.2%) exudates were misclassified, all of them transudates. The higher accuracy of Light's criteria was statistically significant (p = 0.04).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this series of patients, Light's criteria were more accurate than PF/S cholinesterase ratio to discriminate between transudates and exudates. From these results, the use of the PE/S cholinesterase ratio parameters is no longer recommended.
authors.affiliation: Sección de Neumología, Hospital Vega Baja, Orihuela.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: García Pachón
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Padilla Navas
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Molina Siles
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: López-Azorín
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002802:Cholinesterases / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D005122:Exudates and Transudates / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000378:metabolism; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D002802:Cholinesterases
vernacular_title: Relación entre colinesterasa pleural y sérica para diferenciar trasudados y exudados: reevaluación en 177 pacientes.