DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS OF A PLEURAL EFFUSION

Transudate

     Congestive heart failure

     Cirrhosis with ascites

     Nephrotic syndrome

     Hypothyroidism

     Atelectasis

     Constrictive pericarditis

     Urinothorax

     Superior vena cava syndrome

     Peritoneal dialysis

Exudate

     Idiopathic

     Parapneumonic

     Tuberculous

     Malignant

     Rheumatoid arthritis

     Systemic lupus erythematosus

     Mixed connective tissue disease

     Sjogren’s syndrome

     Churg-Strauss vasculitis

     Wegener’s granulomatosis

     Pulmonary embolism

     Asbestosis

     Yellow nail syndrome

     Chylothorax

          Lymphangiomyomatosis

     Sarcoidosis

     Pancreatitis

     Postcardiac injury syndrome

     Esophageal rupture

     Trapped lung

     Meig’s syndrome

     POEMS syndrome (polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, M protein, skin changes)

     Medications

          Amiodarone

          Bleomycin

          Bromocriptine mesylate

          Dantrolene sodium

          Procainamide HCl

          Hydralazine HCl

          Methotrexate

          Methysergide maleate

          Minoxidil

          Mitomycin

          Nitrofurantoin

          Procarbazine HCl

          Quinidine

Entameba histolytica

Familial Mediterranean fever