Pleural Effusion: Causes

Key points

• Pleural effusion: causes Pleural effusions may be classified as being either a transudate or exudate according to the protein concentration. Transudate (< 30g/L protein)
• heart failure (most common transudate cause)
• hypoalbuminaemia (liver disease, nephrotic syndrome, malabsorption)
• hypothyroidism
• Meigs' syndrome Exudate (> 30g/L protein)