Empyema laboratory findings
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Empyema Microchapters |
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
Laboratory Findings
Diagnosis is confirmed by thoracentesis; frank pus may be aspirated from the pleural space. The pleural fluid typically has a low pH (<7.20), low glucose (<60 mg/dL), and contains infectious organisms. Therefore, the diagnosis relies on the presence of pus or organisms on gram stain.
A positive bacteria culture from pleural fluid is not needed to make diagnosis of empyema.[1][2]
References
- ↑ Mavroudis C, Ganzel BL, Cox SK, Polk HC (1987). "Experimental aerobic-anaerobic thoracic empyema in the guinea pig". Ann Thorac Surg. 43 (3): 298–302. PMID 3548615.
- ↑ Perez VP, Caierão J, Fischer GB, Dias CA, d'Azevedo PA (2016). "Pleural effusion with negative culture: a challenge for pneumococcal diagnosis in children". Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis. 86 (2): 200–4. doi:10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2016.07.022. PMID 27527890.