Medical calculators

Light's Criteria

Exudate vs Transudate

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How it is calculated

Light criteria: pleural/serum protein > 0.5, pleural/serum LDH > 0.6, or pleural LDH > two-thirds the upper limit of normal. ANY ONE means exudate. It is deliberately SENSITIVE, so it misclassifies about 25% of transudates as exudates - typically in heart failure patients already on diuretics.

About

Light criteria, separating exudative from transudative pleural effusions. Deliberately sensitive, so it over-calls exudates.

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