Pleural Effusion in End Stage Renal Failure Patients

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the causes of pleural effusion in patients who experienced end-stage renal failure and did not demonstrate any regression of effusion with dialysis treatment. METHODS: Patients with pleural effusion that did not regress though they attained dry weight with dialysis and those with 2 years of follow-up were included in the study. The mean age of the patients was 48.16±14.5 years. Thirty-five patients were receiving hemodialysis treatment and 8 (18%) were continuous peritoneal dialysis patients. Ascites Ascites (n=6), pleural effusion (n=13), both ascites and pleural effusion (n=5), and pleural effusion that was bilateral (n=22, 51%), right-sided (n=13, 30%), and left-sided (n=8:18%) were detected. According to Light’s criteria, the pleural effusion was classified as exudate in 40 (93%) cases and transudate in 3 (7%). Microbiological examination did not identify any pathological agent in any case, and cytological examinations did not reveal atypical cells. The causes of pleural effusion were infection (tuberculosis: n=20, 46%), pneumonia (n=3, 7%), empyema (n=1, 2%), malignancy (lung cancer: n=3, 7%; renal carcinoma: (1, 2%), collagen diseases (n=1, 2%), hepatic abscess (n=1, 2%), pulmonary thromboembolism (n=2, 4%), and idiopathic causes (n=11, 25%). RESULTS: The causes of pleural effusion were infection (tuberculosis: n=20, 46%), pneumonia (n=3, 7%), empyema (n=1, 2%), malignancy (lung cancer: n=3, 7%; renal carcinoma: n=1, 2%), collagen disease (n=1, 2%), hepatic abscess (n=1, 2%), pulmonary thromboembolism (n=2, 4%), and idiopathic cases (n=11, 25%). CONCLUSION: Tuberculosis was the most common cause of pleural effusion that did not regress with dialysis treatment.