Tuberculosis and malignancy are two common causes of exudative pleural effusions. In this retrospective study of 52 patients with tuberculous pleural effusions and 32 patients with malignant effusions, the median age of patients with malignant effusions (68.5 years) was older than that of patients with tuberculous effusions (34.5 years) (p < 0.001). Both types of effusion occurred more frequently on the right side and there was no difference between them in terms of right-sided dominance. A higher percentage of patients with malignant pleural effusions (44%) presented with large effusions than patients with tuberculous effusions (12%) (x2 = 11.33, p = 0.001). A higher proportion of patients with tuberculous effusion had lymphocyte predominant effusions and tuberculous effusions had higher lymphocyte percentage, lower red cell count, and higher protein content. However, there was considerable overlap of these characteristics of both types of effusions.
Pleural effusion is a common encounter in renal failure patients and frequently possess a diagnostic challenge to clinician especially when it was exudative. Fortunately, transudative pleural effusion secondary to fluid overload remains the commonest cause of pleural effusion in haemodialysis patients. Frequent thoracocentesis enhance pleural inflammation and potentially complicate further this challenging clinical presentation. We report a middle-aged gentleman with advanced chronic kidney disease presented with dyspnea and new right upper lobe consolidation on chest roentograph. He had a history of recurrent bilateral pleural effusion secondary to fluid overload and hence multiple attempts of thoracocentesis were performed. Medical thoracoscopy performed previously yielded non-specific pleuritis. Flexible bronchoscopy demonstrates normal airway with negative microbiological studies. Computed tomography (CT) of the thorax shown a loculated hypodense pleural effusion at the apical region of the right upper lobe. Ultrasound guided thoracocentesis anteriorly yield 400 mL of clear straw color fluid which was transudative by Light's criteria. Post tapping chest X-ray shown complete resolution of right upper lobe consolidation and patient reports immediate relieve of dyspnea. Patient was started on regular effective haemodialysis and pleural effusion did not recur during follow up. Loculated pleural effusion masquerading as mediastinal tumour had been reported but pleural effusion that conformed to the contour of a lung lobe is rare. This case highlights the atypical but unique presentation of a transudative pleural effusion and demonstrates the risk of repeated thoracocentesis complicating a simple clinical presentation.