Skip to main content
PMC home page
Thorax logoLink to Thorax
. 1985 May;40(5):371–375. doi: 10.1136/thx.40.5.371

Thoracoscopic, histological, and clinical findings in nine case of rheumatoid pleural effusion.

P Faurschou, D Francis, P Faarup
PMCID: PMC460069  PMID: 4023991

Abstract

A characteristic thoracoscopic picture of a granular parietal pleural surface was found in nine patients with rheumatoid pleurisy. Characteristic changes could be identified histopathologically in material obtained by biopsy. The rheumatoid pleural effusion resolved within an average of 14 months and no serious complications developed after the pleurisy. It is concluded that in rheumatoid pleural effusion a positive diagnosis can be made by thoracoscopy, preferably supported by the identification of microscopic structural changes in the parietal pleura.

Full text

PDF
371

Images in this article

372Image
on p.372
373Image
on p.373
373Image
on p.373
374Image
on p.374

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Berger H. W., Seckler S. G. Pleural and pericardial effusions in rheumatoid disease. Ann Intern Med. 1966 Jun;64(6):1291–1297. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-64-6-1291. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Boddington M. M., Spriggs A. I., Morton J. A., Mowat A. G. Cytodiagnosis of rheumatoid pleural effusions. J Clin Pathol. 1971 Mar;24(2):95–106. doi: 10.1136/jcp.24.2.95. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. CARR D. T., MAYNE J. G. Pleurisy with effusion in rheumatoid arthritis, with reference to the low concentration of glucose in pleural fluid. Am Rev Respir Dis. 1962 Mar;85:345–350. doi: 10.1164/arrd.1962.85.3.345. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. CHOMET B., HELLER P., KELLOW W. F. Needle biopsy of the parietal pleura. N Engl J Med. 1956 Oct 11;255(15):684–690. doi: 10.1056/NEJM195610112551502. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Carmichael D. S., Golding D. N. Rheumatoid pleural effusion with "R.A. cells" in the pleural fluid. Br Med J. 1967 Jun 24;2(5555):814–814. doi: 10.1136/bmj.2.5555.814. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Champion G. D., Robertson M. R., Robinson R. G. Rheumatoid pleurisy and pericarditis. Ann Rheum Dis. 1968 Nov;27(6):521–530. doi: 10.1136/ard.27.6.521. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Delcambre B., Siame J. L., Tonnel A. B., Lafitte J. J., Duquesnoy B., Thevenon A., Tidjani O. Les pleurésies rhumatoïdes. A propos de 13 observations. Rev Rhum Mal Osteoartic. 1980 Nov;47(11):621–629. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Enk B., Viskum K. Diagnostic thoracoscopy. Eur J Respir Dis. 1981 Oct;62(5):344–351. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Faurschou P. Decreased glucose in RA-cell-positive pleural effusion: correlation of pleural glucose, lactic dehydrogenase and protein concentration to the presence of RA-cells. Eur J Respir Dis. 1984 May;65(4):272–277. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Faurschou P., Faarup P. Granulocytes containing cytoplasmic inclusions in human tuberculous pleuritis. Scand J Respir Dis. 1973;54(6):341–346. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Faurschou P. Rheumatoid pleuritis and thoracoscopy. Scand J Respir Dis. 1974;55(5):277–283. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Feagler J. R., Sorenson G. D., Rosenfeld M. G., Osterland C. K. Rheumatoid pleural effusion. Arch Pathol. 1971 Oct;92(4):257–266. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Mandl M. A., Watson J. I., Henderson J. A., Wang N. Pleural fluid in rheumatoid pleuritis. Patient summary with histopathologic studies. Arch Intern Med. 1969 Sep;124(3):373–376. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Nosanchuk J. S., Naylor B. A unique cytologic picture in pleural fluid from patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Am J Clin Pathol. 1968 Sep;50(3):330–335. doi: 10.1093/ajcp/50.3.330. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Pettersson T., Klockars M., Hellström P. E. Chemical and immunological features of pleural effusions: comparison between rheumatoid arthritis and other diseases. Thorax. 1982 May;37(5):354–361. doi: 10.1136/thx.37.5.354. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Sahn S. A., Kaplan R. L., Maulitz R. M., Good J. T., Jr Rheumatoid pleurisy. observations on the development of low pleural fluid pH and glucose level. Arch Intern Med. 1980 Sep;140(9):1237–1238. doi: 10.1001/archinte.140.9.1237. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Walker W. C., Wright V. Rheumatoid pleuritis. Ann Rheum Dis. 1967 Nov;26(6):467–474. doi: 10.1136/ard.26.6.467. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Thorax are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES