An observational study in Pleural Effusion, Heart Failure and Malignant Neoplasm, sponsored by Chinese University of Hong Kong. Completed at 1 site in Hong Kong. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-10-06.
Sponsored by Chinese University of Hong Kong · Observational
To assess the discriminative properties of pleural fluid (PF) N-terminal-proB-type-natriuretic-peptide (NTproBNP) levels in identifying heart failure (HF)-associated pleural effusions (PE).
Objective: To assess the discriminative properties of pleural fluid (PF) N-terminal-proB-type-natriuretic-peptide (NTproBNP) levels in identifying heart failure (HF)-associated pleural effusions (PE).
Hypothesis to be tested: The PF NTproBNP levels are superior to existing methods including Light's criteria, serum/pleural fluid (S/PF) protein gradient, and albumin gradient, in identifying transudates and distinguishing between HF- and non-HF-associated PE.
Design and subjects: A prospective case-control study involving patients with PE requiring thoracentesis, caused by hypervolaemia due to HF, diseases other than HF, and patients with pleural effusion without hypervolaemia. Patient characteristics, PF results and effusion aetiology will be analysed. Patient outcomes will be followed up to 3 months to confirm the aetiology of PE. Clinical management of patients will not be affected.
Study instruments: PF of recruited patients will be analysed for albumin, protein, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels and NTproBNP. The diagnosis of HF will be based on clinical features, serum NTproBNP and echocardiogram.
Main outcome measures: The performance of PF NTproBNP level in identifying HF-associated PE.
Data analysis: The PF NTproBNP level will be compared between effusions of different aetiologies. The optimal pleural fluid NTproBNP level with largest area under the receiver operating characteristic curve in identifying HF-associated PE will be determined. Performance of PF NTproBNP level in identifying HF-associated PE, and other biochemical criteria in identifying transudates will be compared. Echocardiographic findings will be correlated with the PF NTproBNP levels.
Expected results: The diagnostic performance of PF NTproBNP will be significantly better in identifying HF-associated effusion than other biochemical criteria.
241 studies on the registry are indexed under Pleural Effusion; 50 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 160 is above the median of 140 across 93 observational studies indexed under Pleural Effusion.
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Patients who are admitted to the Department of Medicine \& Therapeutics, Prince of Wales Hospital (PWH) who fulfil the inclusion and exclusion criteria
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Exclusion Criteria:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Patients with pleural effusion with an underlying aetiology of heart failure
Patients with pleural effusion due to exudative, or non-fluid overload causes
Comparison of the diagnostic performance of PF NTproBNP level in the diagnosis of HF-associated pleural effusions with other conventional biochemical criteria
Pleural fluid NTproBNP will be measured in patients with pleural effusion of various aetiologies including malignancy, pleural infection, heart failure and other causes of volume overload. The sensitivity and specificity of an elevated pleural fluid NTproBNP level in successfully identifying a pleural effusion due to underlying heart failure will be measured and compared against existing classification criteria for pleural effusion such as Light's Criteria, pleural-serum protein gradient or albumin gradient.
Time frame: 24 months
To measure the PF NTproBNP level in patients with pleural effusion of various aetiologies
Time frame: 24 months
Correlation of clinical factors that may affect the levels of pleural fluid NTproBNP such as echocardiographic features, presence of comorbidities, nutritional status, serum albumin level, levels of inflammatory markers and presence of infection
Clinical data of patients admitted to the hospital with pleural effusion will be measured and recorded. Statistical analysis will then be performed to evaluate for degree of correlation between the presence or severity of a clinical parameter, echocardiogram results e.g. severe valvular stenosis, or, e.g. presence of medical comorbidities or presence of concomitant infection, and the levels of NTproBNP identified in the patient's pleural fluid detected within same admission.
Time frame: 24 months
To correlate the PF NTproBNP levels with the echocardiographic features and prognosis of patients with heart failure
Time frame: 24 months
Plan to share: No — Given patient data and privacy concerns, clinical data involving individual patients will not be shared. Data summary tables may later be published along with the research manuscript, and may be shared upon receipt of a reasonable request.
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
This study is completed, as verified in Feb 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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