A 43-year-old female patient presents to the ED with chest p…
A 43-year-old female patient presents to the ED with chest pain, non-productive cough, and shortness of breath which have all worsened over the past three days. A chest x-ray revealed the presence of a right-sided pleural effusion. Thoracentesis was performed under ultrasound guidance, yielding 300 mL of dark red, cloudy pleural fluid. Pleural Fluid Analysis:Appearance: HemorrhagicRBC Count: 1.2 million cells/µLWBC Count: 5,000 cells/µLProtein: 4.2 g/dLLDH: 600 IU/L (serum LDH: 200 IU/L)Glucose: 80 mg/dL (serum glucose: 110 mg/dL)pH: 7.35Differential Cell Count:Neutrophils: 1,250 cells/µL (25%)Lymphocytes: 3,750 cells/µL (75%)Eosinophils: Rare Based on the laboratory results above, the thoracic fluid should be classified as _____________.