Comparison of some biochemical markers in pleural fluid in pleurisies of various etiology

Abstract

The values of a number of biochemical markers in serum and pleural fluid (PF) were compared in 30 patients with tuberculous, malignant, or metapneumonic pleural effusions and hydrothorax. The levels of total protein (TP), albumin (A), cholesterol (C), triglycerides (TG), β-lipoproteins (β-LP), C-reactive protein (CRP), soluble fibrin-monomer complexes (SFMCs), stable nitric oxide (NO) metabolites, glucose (G), sodium (Na), and potassium (K) were measured in both media. The effusion/serum (E/S) ratio was calculated for each indicator. The high levels of TG, β-LP, and SFMCs were found to be specific to tuberculous effusions. Malignant effusions exhibited a low content of C and a high level of NO metabolites and a G concentration greater than that in the serum (E/S ratio > 1.0). In nonspecific (metapneumonic) pleurisies, EF showed a very low level of TG and a low E/S ratio for CRP. In hydrothorax, EF displayed the lowest absolute E/S ratio for TP, A, and CRP and the concentration gradient was absent for TG and G (the E/S ratio approached 1.0). The authors made a correlation analysis of an association between the same indicators in PF and serum and a relationship between different indicators in PF.

Keywords

• плевриты
• гидроторакс
• плевральные выпоты
• биохимические маркеры