Pleural effusion in interstitial lung disease.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review reports recent information on the occurrence of pleural effusions in association with disorders that produce interstitial parenchymal lung disease.

RECENT FINDINGS: The occurrence of effusions has been expanded to include systemic sclerosis, polymyositis-dermatomyositis, several drugs, and several miscellaneous causes of interstitial lung disease (ILD).

SUMMARY: Pleural effusions occur in patients with various forms of interstitial lung disease. The effusions require a clinical evaluation to exclude complications of therapy and coexisting conditions unrelated to the underlying ILD.