Current Trends in Treating Malignant Pleural Effusion: Evidence, Guidelines, and Best Practice Recommendations.

Malignant pleural effusion (MPE) is common in individuals with cancer and typically reflects advanced disease. Most cases are symptomatic, with dyspnea and pain having a severe effect on the patient's quality of life (QOL). The management of MPE aims to relieve symptoms, improve QOL, prevent repeated pleural interventions, and minimize hospital admissions.

Pleural Effusion Identified by Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS) in Septic Shock: Impact on Clinical Outcomes.

To analyze the association between pleural effusion detected by chest point of care ultrasound (POCUS) and clinical outcomes in patients with septic shock admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU). A prospective evaluation of ICU patients with septic shock in whom chest POCUS was performed during the first 24 hours of diagnosis to identify the presence and characteristics of pleural effusion. Of 45 patients with septic shock, 17 (38%) had pleural effusion.

Ultrasound for body composition assessment: a narrative review.

Ultrasound has become an increasingly valuable tool for the assessment of body composition, offering several applications and indications in clinical practice. Ultrasound allows bedside evaluation of muscle mass, fat compartments, and extravascular water, providing a cost-effective, portable, and accessible alternative to traditional methods, such as Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA), Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA), Computed Tomography (CT), and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). It is particularly useful in evaluating conditions, such as malnutrition, sarcopenia, and sarcopenic obesity, which require poor muscle mass to establish a diagnosis.