Remission of hepatic hydrothorax after OK-432 pleurodesis.

Hepatic hydrothorax in the absence of ascites is a rare complication of liver cirrhosis. A 71-year-old man with liver cirrhosis due to alcohol abuse was referred to our department because of massive pleural effusion on the right side. The properties of pleural effusion and clinical course led to a diagnosis of hepatic hydrothorax.

[Usefulness of serum procalcitonin measurement in the diagnosis of respiratory infectious diseases].

The serum concentration of procalcitonin (PCT) is specifically elevated in severe bacterial infections. In Japan, PCT has been used as a serum marker for bacterial sepsis since February, 2006. However, the evidence of it in respiratory infectious diseases is limited.