98%
921
2 minutes
20
Background: Computed tomography (CT) scan is commonly performed for pleural effusion diagnostis in the clinic. However, there are limited data assessing the accuracy of thoracic CT for the separation of transudative from exudative effusions. The study aimed to determine the diagnostic value of thoracic CT in distinguishing transudates from exudates in patients with pleural effusion.
Methods: This is a two-center retrospective analysis of patients with pleural effusion, a total of 209 patients were included from The First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Science and Technology as the derivation cohort (Luoyang cohort), and 195 patients from the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University as the validation cohort (Zhengzhou cohort). Patients who underwent thoracic CT scan followed by diagnostic thoracentesis were enrolled. The optimal cut-points of CT value in pleural fluid (PF) and PF to blood CT value ratio for predicting a transudative vs. exudative pleural effusions were determined in the derivation cohort and further verified in the validation cohort.
Results: In the Derivation (Luoyang) cohort, patients with exudates had significantly higher CT value [13.01 (10.01-16.11) vs. 4.89 (2.31-9.83) HU] and PF to blood CT value ratio [0.37 (0.27-0.53) vs. 0.16 (0.07-0.26)] than those with transudates. With a cut-off value of 10.81 HU, the area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of CT value were 0.85, 88.89%, 68.90%, 43.96%, and 95.76%, respectively. The optimum cut-value for PF to blood CT value ratio was 0.27 with AUC of 0.86, yielding a sensitivity of 61.11%, specificity of 86.36%, PPV of 78.57%, and NPV of 73.08%. These were further verified in the Validation (Zhengzhou) cohort.
Conclusions: CT value and PF to blood CT value ratio showed good differential abilities in predicting transudates from exudates, which may help to avoid unnecessary thoracentesis.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
---|---|
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10807107 | PMC |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12931-024-02681-w | DOI Listing |
J Med Internet Res
September 2025
Faculty of Medicine, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
Background: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) affect up to 10% of pregnancies and can have adverse short and long-term implications for women and their babies. eHealth interventions include any health service or treatment delivered using the internet and related technology that aims to facilitate, capture, or exchange knowledge. eHealth interventions are increasingly used across many health care settings with improved outcomes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPol Merkur Lekarski
September 2025
FACULTY OF NURSING, UNIVERSITY OF KUFA, KUFA, IRAQ.
Objective: Aim: To evaluate clinical applicability of immune mediator's interleukin-16, immunoglobulin E along with eosinophil count in diagnosing COVID-19 and determining its severity.
Patients And Methods: Materials and Methods: Cross-sectional case-control study was conducted at Al-Najaf General Hospital, Najaf, Iraq between March and August 2024. 120 participants: 60 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 60 healthy controls which matched cases in terms of age and sex.
Arq Gastroenterol
September 2025
Alimentary Tract Research Center, Clinical Sciences Research Institute, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
Background: Acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding (AUGIB) is a critical medical emergency and is a common cause of illness and death in individuals with liver cirrhosis.
Objective: The point of this study was to check how well the albumin-to-bilirubin ratio (ALBI) and model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) scores could predict how these patients would do in the future.
Methods: The Imam Khomeini Hospital gastroenterology department conducted a retrospective examination.
PLoS One
September 2025
The Second Affiliated Hospital of Baotou Medical College, Inner Mongolia, Baotou, China.
Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) complicated with ischemic stroke is a major challenge to global public health and is related to poor prognosis. However, the role of blood urea nitrogen(BUN)to serum albumin ratio (BAR) in predicting in-hospital mortality of T2DM patients with ischemic stroke has not been fully explored. This study was carried out to investigate the relationship between BAR level and in-hospital mortality of T2DM patients with ischemic stroke.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAm J Hypertens
September 2025
Biopharmaceuticals, US Medical Affairs, Wilmington, AstraZeneca, United States.
Background: Excess aldosterone of > 15ng/dL, in the presence of low renin, is linked to hypertension (HTN) and chronic kidney disease (CKD). This study investigated the association of aldosterone dysregulation at lower plasma aldosterone levels (≥5ng/dL) with the risk of uncontrolled HTN and CKD prevalence.
Methods: Patient plasma aldosterone measurements obtained during 2013-2023 were identified in the TriNetX Dataworks-USA Network of electronic medical records.