Pleural friction rub is commonly associated with which condition?

The presence of a pleural friction rub is commonly associated with conditions that involve inflammation of the pleura, which is the membrane surrounding the lungs. Pleurisy, for example, is characterized by the inflammation of the pleura and leads to the classic symptom of a pleural friction rub, which is a sound heard during auscultation. Other conditions listed, such as tuberculosis (TB), pneumonia, pulmonary infarction, and cancer, can also lead to pleural inflammation or changes in pleural surfaces, thus causing a pleural friction rub.

This sound occurs when the pleural layers rub against each other due to excess fluid (as in pleuritic effusion) or inflammation, resulting in a distinct and often painful respiratory sound. Understanding this association highlights the importance of clinical assessment in identifying the underlying cause of respiratory symptoms, particularly in patients presenting with chest pain or respiratory distress.

In contrast, conditions like asthma, chronic bronchitis, heart failure, arrhythmias, emphysema, and cystic fibrosis do not typically produce a pleural friction rub. Asthma and chronic bronchitis are primarily associated with airway inflammation and wheezing, while heart failure can lead to bilateral crackles due to fluid in the lungs, but not a pleural