Pleuritis

Background

  • Pleuritis (also known as pleurisy) is nonspecific inflammation of the parietal pleura[1]
  • Most often follows a viral illness

Clinical Features

  • Pleuritic chest pain
    • Typically sharp in nature, worse with respiration, coughing, sneezing, etc
  • May complain of shortness of breath as a result of pain

Differential Diagnosis

Chest pain

Critical

Emergent

Nonemergent

Evaluation

Workup

Pleuritis is a diagnosis of exclusion

  • EKG
  • CXR
  • Consider lab testing and/or more advanced imaging per history and physical exam

Diagnosis

  • Typically made clinically after ruling out emergent causes of chest pain

Management

Disposition

  • Discharge

See Also

External Links

References

  1. Kass SM, Williams PM, Reamy BV. Pleurisy. Am Fam Physician. 2007;75(9):1357-1364.