title: [Clinical analysis of 123 cases of chylous effusion].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the clinical characteristics of chylous effusion and boost its diagnostic and therapeutic level.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective analysis was conducted for 123 cases of chylous effusion at our hospital between January 1990 and December 2009.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The main clinical manifestations of chylous effusion included dyspnea (55.3%), edema (26.8%), abdominal distention (22.8%) and loss of weight (17.1%). Hypoalbuminemia was common (45.5%) and it was even more so in patients with idiopathic lymphopathies or of unknown causes (95.2%). The positive rates of identifying chylous effusion by Sudan III test, high triglyceride levels (> 1.25 mmol/L), lymphangiography or lymphangioscintigraphy were 89.1%, 80.6%, 70.6% and 89.5% respectively. Its common etiologies included injury (14.6%), malignancy (9.0%), infections (7.3%), lymphatic disorders or idiopathic lymphopathies (40%), drug-associated (2.4%) or associated with underlying disorders (16.3%). Efficacy was achieved in 63.6% of the patients and 21.8% died.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Chylous effusion is a special type of serous effusion with multiple causes. Its clinical manifestations are often nonspecific. But malnutrition is common. Its causes are identified after a systematic evaluation. Treatment modalities include dietary modification, management of underlying causes and surgical approaches.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Peking Union Medical College Hospital & Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100730, China. kaifeng.xu@gmail.com
authors.forename: Kai-feng
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Xiao-wen
authors.initials: XW
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Xin-lun
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Yao-song
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Gui
authors.forename: Lan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Long-yun
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yuan-jue
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Zhu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002916:Chylothorax; D002915:Chylous Ascites; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010490:Pericardial Effusion; D010996:Pleural Effusion; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult