The Role of Pleural Fluid C-Reactive Protein in the Diagnosis of Exudative Pleural Effusions.

Background and objective Pleural effusion develops when there is disequilibrium between pleural fluid formation and absorption. Light's criteria are currently used to differentiate transudative from exudative effusion. If the pleural effusion is exudative, it requires extensive diagnostic workup to identify the local cause of the effusion.