Acute pyelonephritis associated with transudative pleural effusion in a middle-aged woman without urinary tract obstruction.

OBJECTIVE

To describe a case of acute pyelonephritis associated with pleural effusion.

CLINICAL PRESENTATION AND INTERVENTION

A 39-year-old female non-smoker who had Escherichia coli bacteremia due to acute pyelonephritis, developed bilateral transudative pleural effusions during hospitalization. She was successfully treated with intravenous antibiotic therapy. Follow-up chest radiographs revealed complete resolution of the bilateral pleural effusions.

CONCLUSION

Though quite rare, pleural effusion is a potential complication of acute pyelonephritis. The exact pathogenesis of transudative pleural effusion is unknown, but the effusion may resolve spontaneously when infection is adequately controlled.