Acute pyelonephritis associated with transudative pleural effusion in a middle-aged woman without urinary tract obstruction.
OBJECTIVE
To describe a case of acute pyelonephritis associated with pleural effusion.


METHODS
A 39-year-old female non-smoker who had Escherichia coli bacteremia due to acute pyelonephritis, developed bilateral transudative pleural effusions during hospitalization. She was successfully treated with intravenous antibiotic therapy. Follow-up chest radiographs revealed complete resolution of the bilateral pleural effusions.


CONCLUSIONS
Though quite rare, pleural effusion is a potential complication of acute pyelonephritis. The exact pathogenesis of transudative pleural effusion is unknown, but the effusion may resolve spontaneously when infection is adequately controlled.
Wang
I-Kuan
IK
Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chiayi, and Chang Gung University, Taiwan, ROC.
Chuang
Feng-Rong
FR
Chang
Hung-Yu
HY
Lin
Chun-Liang
CL
Yang
Cheng-Ta
CT
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000150:complications*; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000209:etiology*; D011704:Pyelonephritis / Q000150:complications*