Table 1

Selected patient characteristics, biochemical profile and cumulative volumes of pleural fluid drained
			Biochemical profile			Effusion volumes drained (ml)

Pt	Remarks	Indication for drainage	pH	PTP (g/l)	LDH (IU/l)	1 hour	6 hours	24 hours

1	Pancreatitis, intubated, right pleural drain	Facilitate weaning	7.5	26	288	400	530	530
	Left pleural drain		8.0	34	3884	570	690	690
	Second admission 5 months later, intubated, single drain	Facilitate weaning	8.5	22	266	240	430	450
	Third admission 2 months later, non-intubated, single drain	Respiratory compromise	8.5	33	219	370	1170	1270
2	Pancreatitis, non-intubated	Respiratory compromise	7.5	11	98	880	1810	2075
3	Pancreatitis, non-intubated	Respiratory compromise	8.5	28	527	180	550	1200
4	Pneumonia, intubated	Facilitate weaning	8.0	23	395	600	700	1300
5	Pancreatitis, intubated	Facilitate weaning	8.5	52	362	830	980	1380
6	Liver transplant, intubated	Facilitate weaning	NA	NA	NA	300	410	600
7	Trauma, intubated	Facilitate weaning	NA	30	258	400	500	700
8	Cardiac surgery, intubated	Facilitate weaning	NA	33	426	800	1300	1400
9	Perforated sigmoid colon	Facilitate weaning
	Right pleural drain		8.0	16	216	540	700	970
	Left pleural drain		8.5	16	175	200	780	1430
10	Perforated gastric ulcer	Facilitate weaning
	Right pleural drain		8.0	20	473	350	400	630
	Left pleural drain		8.5	19	474	150	410	520

LDH, pleural fluid lactate dehydrogenase level; NA, not available; PTP, pleural fluid total protein; Pt, Patient.
Singh et al. Critical Care 2003 7:R191 doi:10.1186/cc2393