What is the Difference Between Pleural Friction Rub and Pericardial Friction Rub

The key difference between pleural friction rub and pericardial friction rub is that pleural friction rub is an audible medical sign present in patients with pleurisy and other medical conditions affecting the chest cavity, while pericardinal friction rub is an audible sign in patients with pericarditis affecting pericardium.

A friction rub is an audible medical sign for the diagnosis of some diseases. It can be noticed by listening to the internal sounds of the body. Normally, it is detected through the stethoscope. Pleural friction rub and pericardial friction rub are two types of friction rubs that are important in expanding disease diagnosis.

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Pleural Friction Rub
3. What is Pericardial Friction Rub
4. Similarities – Pleural Friction Rub and Pericardial Friction Rub
5. Pleural Friction Rub vs Pericardial Friction Rub in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Pleural Friction Rub vs Pericardial Friction Rub

What is Pleural Friction Rub?

Pleural friction rub is an audible medical sign present in patients with pleurisy and other medical conditions affecting the chest cavity. Pleural friction rubs are the squeaking or grating sounds of the pleural linings that occur when they rub together. It is described as the sound made by treading on fresh snow. As these sounds are generated whenever the chest wall of the patient moves, these sounds appear on inspiration and expiration.

Pleural Friction Rub and Pericardial Friction Rub - Side by Side Comparison

Figure 01: Pleurisy

Pleural friction rub is identified by listening to the internal sounds of the human body, normally through a stethoscope on the lungs. It is characterized by one sound on inspiration and one sound on expiration. Pleural friction rub occurs over the site of the lower anterolateral chest. Pleural friction rub is often transient. The sounds of pleural friction rub disappear if one holds breath. The sound characteristics include high-frequency grating or creaking sounds. Furthermore, pleural friction rubs commonly occur when the pleural layers are inflamed and have lost their lubrication. In addition, pleural friction rub is very common in diseases such as pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, and pleurisy (pleuritis). Therefore, pleural friction rub is very important for the diagnosis of the above diseases.

What is Pericardial Friction Rub?

Pericardinal friction rub is an audible sign in patients with pericarditis that affects the pericardium. Pericardinal friction rub is characterized by one systolic sound and two diastolic sounds. These sounds are independent of respiration. It occurs when the inflammation of the pericardium causes the pericardium walls to rub against each other with audible friction. In children, rheumatic fever causes pericardinal friction rub. Moreover, pericardinal friction rub can also occur in pericarditis, which is associated with uremia or post-myocardial infarction. Pericardinal friction rub is a transient and high-frequency sound.

Pleural Friction Rub vs Pericardial Friction Rub in Tabular Form

Figure 02: Pericarditis

Pericardinal friction rub resembles the sound of squeakily leather, and it is often described as scratchy, grating, or rasping. Pericardinal friction rub may seem louder than or may even mask the other heart sounds. Furthermore, the site of pericardinal friction rub is over the pericardium. The sound is typically best heard between the apex and sternum.

What are the Similarities Between Pleural Friction Rub and Pericardial Friction Rub?

Pleural friction rub and pericardial friction rub are two types of friction rubs.
They can be noted by listening to the internal sounds of the body.
Both friction rubs can be detected through a stethoscope.
They are transient and high-frequency sounds.
Both friction rubs can be caused by inflammation.
They are important in expanding disease diagnosis.

What is the Difference Between Pleural Friction Rub and Pericardial Friction Rub?

A pleural friction rub is an audible medical sign present in patients with pleurisy and other medical conditions affecting the chest cavity, while a pericardial friction rub is an audible sign in patients with pericarditis affecting the pericardium. Thus, this is the key difference between pleural friction rub and pericardial friction rub. Furthermore, pleural friction rub can be used for the diagnosis of diseases such as pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, and pleurisy (pleuritis). On the other hand, pericardial friction rub can be used for the diagnosis of diseases such as rheumatic fever, and pericarditis associated with uremia or post-myocardial infarction.

The below infographic presents the differences between pleural friction rub and pericardial friction rub in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.

Summary – Pleural Friction Rub vs Pericardial Friction Rub

Pleural friction rub and pericardial friction rub are two types of friction rubs. Pleural friction rub is an audible medical sign present in patients with pleurisy and other medical conditions affecting the chest cavity, while a pericardial friction rub is an audible sign in patients with pericarditis affecting the pericardium. So, this is the key difference between pleural friction rub and pericardial friction rub.

Reference:

1. “Pleural Friction Rub.” An Overview | ScienceDirect Topics.
2. “Pericardial Friction Rub.” An Overview | ScienceDirect Topics.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Pleurisy” By BruceBlaus – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Pericarditis” By BruceBlaus – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia