Modified Light S Criteria Pleural Effusion

This light criteria calculator can diagnose pleural effusions as exudates and provide the differentiation criteria from pleural transudates.

Modified light s criteria pleural effusion. Effusion fluid serum protein ratio is greater than 0 5 2. The criteria of light et al 3 include a pleural fluid to serum protein ratio greater than 0 5 a pleural fluid to serum ldh ratio greater than 0 6 and a pleural ldh concentration more than two thirds normal upper limit for serum. Protein and lactate dehydrogenase levels help determine whether collected pleural fluid represents a transudative or exudative effusion and are used to assess for light s criteria 10 17 20. If one or more of the exudative criteria are met and the patient is clinically thought to have a condition producing a transudative effusion the difference.

According to light s criteria light et al. The light s criteria for exudative effusions determines if pleural fluid is exudative. A fluid is said to be exudative if the 1. A study of light s criteria and possible modifications for distinguishing exudative from transudative pleural effusions.

An accurate diagnosis of the cause of the effusion transudate versus exudate relies on a comparison of the chemistries in the pleural fluid to those in the blood using light s criteria. Effusion ldh serum ldh ratio is greater than 0 6 3. 1972 a pleural effusion is likely exudative if at least one of the following exists. The above criteria misidentify approximately 25 of transudates as exudates.

1503 1507 view in article. Pleural fluid ldh serum ldh 0 6. A criteria used to distinguish the pleural exudates and transudates is called as the light s criteria. Discover more about the rules involved the score interpretation and the difference between these two types of pleural probes below the form.

Pleural fluid ldh more than two thirds normal upper limit for serum. Depends on the underlying cause e g if there is an exudative effusion secondary to a bacterial pneumonia treat with antibiotics. Based on the light criteria a pleural effusion is said to be exudative if any of the above is met. If any one of these critical values is exceeded the effusion is an exudate.