• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.14 no.1
• /
• pp.351-354
• /
• 2013

Objective: To assess the practical utility of pleural fluid carbonic anhydrase XII (CAXII) quantification for differential diagnosis of effusions. Materials and Methods: Fluid was collected prospectively from fifty patients presenting with lymphocytic pleural effusions for investigation and CAXII was quantified by ELISA. Results: Pleural fluid CAXII concentrations were significantly higher in lung cancer patients (n=30) than in tuberculous controls (n=20). The sensitivity and specificity of this biomarker were 60%and 75%, respectively. CAXII measurement was not inferior to cytological examination in the diagnosis and exclusion of pleural effusions from lung cancer patitents (sensitivity 60% vs. 57%; specificity 75% vs. 100%; positive predictive value 77%; negative predictive value 54%). In patients with negative cytology, it offered a sensitivity of 54%. Conclusions: Pleural fluid CAXII is elevated in pleural effusions from lung cancer patients. Measurement of CAXII may be used in the future as a valuable adjunct to cytology in the diagnostic assessment of patients with pleural effusions related to lung cancer, especially when cytological examination is inconclusive.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
• /
• v.32 no.1
• /
• pp.50-54
• /
• 2015

Malignant mesothelioma is a common, primary tumor that can invade pleura, and is associated with previous exposure to asbestos. However, it poses considerable difficulties regarding its diagnosis and treatment, and thus, accurate history taking with respect to exposure to asbestos, and radiologic and pathologic examinations are essential. In addition, the involvement of a multidisciplinary team is recommended in order to ensure prompt and appropriate management using a framework based on radiotherapy, chemotherapy, surgery, and symptom palliation with end-of-life care. Because lymphocyte-dominant, exudative pleural effusion can occur in malignant mesothelioma, adenosine deaminase values may be elevated, which could be mistaken for tuberculous pleurisy, and lead to an incorrect diagnosis and suboptimal treatment. The authors describe a case of malignant mesothelioma initially misdiagnosed as tuberculous pleurisy. As evidenced by the described case, malignant mesothelioma should be considered during the differential diagnosis of patients with lymphocyte-dominant, exudative pleural effusion with a pleural lung lesion.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.50 no.2
• /
• pp.171-181
• /
• 2001

Background : Angiogenesis is an essential process for the growth and metastatic ability of solid tumors. One of the key factors known to be capable of stimulating tumor angiogenesis is the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). The serum VEGF concentration has been shown to be a useful parameter related to the clinical features and prognosis of lung cancer and has been recently applied to a the malignant pleural effusion showing a correlation with the biochemical parameters. The VEGF has been shown to play a role in the inflammatory diseases, but rarely in the tuberculosis (TB). The serum and pleural fluid VEGF levels were measured in patients with lung cancer and TB. Their relationship with the clinical and laboratory parameters and repeated measurement 3 months after various anticancer treatments were evaluated to assess the utility of the VEGF as a tumor marker. Methods : Using a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, the VEGF conoentration was measured in both sera and pleural effusions collected from a total of 85 patients with lung cancer, 13 patients with TB and 20 healthy individuals. Results : The serum VEGF levels in patients with lung cancer ($619.9{\pm}722.8pg/ml$) were significantly higher than those of healthy controls ($215.9{\pm}191.1pg/ml$), However, there was no significant difference between the VEGF levels in the lung cancer and TB patients. The serum VEGF levels were higher in large cell and undifferentiated carcinoma than in squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. The serum VEGF levels of lung cancer patients revealed no significant relationship with the various clinical parameters. The VEGF concentrations in the malignant effusion ($2,228.1{\pm}2,103.0pg/ml$) were significantly higher than those in the TB effusion ($897.6{\pm}978.8pg/ml$). In the malignant pleural effusion, the VEGF levels revealed significant correlation with the number of red blood cells (r=0.75), the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)(r=0.70), and glucose concentration (r=-0.55) in the pleural fluid. Conclusion : The serum VEGF levels were higher in the lung cancer patients. The VEGF levels were more elevated in the malignant pleural effusion than in the tuberculous effusion. In addition, the VEGF levels in the pleural fluid were several times higher than the matched serum values suggesting a local activation and possible etiologic role of VEGF in the formation of malignant effusions. The pleural VEGF levels showed a significant correlation with the numbers of red blood cells, LDH and glucose concentrations in the pleural fluid, which may represent the tumor burden.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.40 no.5
• /
• pp.509-518
• /
• 1993

Background: By amplifying small amount of DNA, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) can be used for the detection of very small amount of microbial agent, and may be especially useful in certain cases which are difficult to be diagnosed microbiologically or serologically. Tuberculous pleurisy is a disease that can be diagnosed in only 70% of cases by conventional diagnostic tools, and PCR would be a very rapid, easy, and sensitive diagnostic method. Method: The specificity and sensitivity of PCR to detect Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA were evaluated using various strains of Mycobacteria. To evaluate the diagnostic usefulness of PCR in tuberculous pleurisy, we used PCR to detect Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA in pleural fluid. The amplification target was 123 base pair DNA, a part of IS6110 fragment, 10~16 copies of which are known to exist per genome. The diagnostic yield of PCR was compared with conventional methods, including pleural fluid adenosine deaminase (ADA) activity. Also, the significance of PCR in undiagnosed pleural effusion was evaluated prospectively with antituberculosis treatment. Results: 1) Using cultured Mycobacterium tuberculosis and other strains, PCR could detect upto 1 fg DNA and specific for only Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium bovis. 2) Using pleural effusions of proven tuberculosis cases, the sensitivity of PCR was 80.0% (16/20), and the specificity 95.0% (19/20). 3) Among 13 undiagnosed, but suspected tuberculous effusion, the positive rate was 60% in 10 improved cases after antituberculosis medications, and 0% in 3 cases of proven malignancy later. 4) Adenosine deaminase level of proven and clinically diagnosed tuberculous pleurisy patients was significantly higher than that of excluded patients, and correlated well with PCR results. Conclusion: We can conclude that PCR detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in pleural effusion has acceptable sensitivity and specificity, and could be an additional diagnostic tool for the diagnosis of tuberculous pleurisy.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.39 no.6
• /
• pp.554-558
• /
• 1992

A 38 years old man had been treated as a pulmonary tuberculosis by the positive result of acid fast stain of bronchial washing from the focal infiltrative lesion at left lower lobe. On radiologic examination after one year treatment, there was an aggravation of lesion at left lower lobe with moderate amount of pleural effusion at the same side. After 11 weeks, follow up chest film disclosed bilateral pleural effusion. The pleural fluid of both side was pus in gross appearance with low pH, high LDH, low glucose and high protein. Pleurodectomy was performed to remove the loculated empyema with the thickened pleura of right thorax. This pleuro-pulmonary lesion can be easily misdiagnosed as a tuberculous lesion if it is not taken into consideration as a possible diagnosis.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.38 no.3
• /
• pp.262-269
• /
• 1991

The purpose of this study is to investigate the utility of the pleural fluid cholesterol level in separating the exudates from the transudates, and in differentiating tuberculous exudates from non-tuberculous exudates, 52 patients with pleural effusion were involved in this prospective study. By predefined criteria, 40 of these effusions were classified as exudates (Group I) and 12 as transudates (Group II). Group I was subdivided into tuberculous exudates (Group A) and non-tuberculous exudates (Group B). The followings are parameters used in separating the exudates from the transudates; pleural protein (P-PROT) 3.0 g/dl, pleural protein/serum protein ratio (P/S PORT) 0.5, pleural LDH (P-LDH) 200 IU, pleural LDH/serum LDH ratio (P/S LDH) 0.6, pleural cholesterol (P-CHOL) 50 mg/dl and pleural cholesterol/serum cholesterol ratio (P/S CHOL) 0.4. Mean values of the parameters in each group were compared, and then misclassified rate and the dignostic efficiency for each parameter were calculated. The results were as follows; 1) Mean P-CHOL ($94.98{\pm}73.86\;mg/dl$) in Group I was higher than that ($36.5{\pm}26.5\;mg/dl$) in Group II (p<0.05), but there was no significant difference in mean P-CHOL between Group A and Group B. 2) Mean P/S CHOL ($0.64{\pm}0.39$) in Group I was also higher than that ($0.27{\pm}0.15$) in Group II (p<0.01), but no difference was observed in mean P/S CHOL between Group A and Group B. 3) Misclassified rates for each parameter in separating the exudates from the transudates were as follows; P-PROT 1.9%. P/S PROT 3.8%. P-CHOL 9.6%, P/S CHOL 11.5%, P/S LDH 11.5%, and P-LDH 17.3%. 4) Diagnostic efficiencies for each parameter in separating the exudates from the transudates were as follows; P-PROT 98.1%, P/S PROT 96.2%. P-CHOL 90.4%. P/S CHOL 88.5%, P/S LDH 88.5%, and P-LDH 82.7%. In conclusion, we think that the pleural fluid chloesterol level could be used as a supportive parameter in separating the exudates from the transudates, but could not be used as a parameter in differentiating tuberculous exudates from non-tuberculous exudates.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.49 no.1
• /
• pp.56-63
• /
• 2006

Purpose : This study was designed to document the etiologies and the characteristics of parapneumonic effusion in children. Methods : During a 17-year period from 1987 to 2004, parapneumonic effusion was confirmed in 86 children at Gyeongsang National University Hospital. The clinical records of these children were reviewed and radiological findings and laboratory data, especially results of thoracentesis, were analyzed retrospectively. Results : M. pneumoniae(34 subjects) was the most common pathogen at all over age, especially above 1-years-old. There were diagnosed with clinical characteristics and serologic tests. The $2^{nd}$ most common pathogen revealed non tuberculous bacteria(14 subjects). A species of bacteria at no tuberculous bacteria revealed S. aureus(5), S. pneumoniae(3), P. aeroginosa(3), other staphylococcus (2), and K. pneumoniae(1). There were confirmed with sputum culture or pleural fluid culture or blood culture. S. aureus was most common pathogen in infants. The $3^{rd}$ common pathogen was M. tuberculosis(7). There were confirmed with skin tuberculin tests and AFB stains. Another that was classified as a non bacteria was adenovirus(2). Complications of parapneumonic effusion such as pleural thickness occurred on M. tuberculosis(1). Non tuberculous bacteria, especially S. aureus revealed a serious predominance of polymorphocyte at pleural fluid, and lowest pleural pH and glucose, and highest pleural protein and LDH. Tuberculosis revealed high pleural protein and LDH. Conclusion : Age and chemistries of pleural fluid might be helpful in differentiating various etiologies of parapneumonic effusion. If there were suspicious of tuberculosis and non-tuberculous bacteria, more aggressive approaches were needed to prevent complication.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.62 no.4
• /
• pp.323-330
• /
• 2007

Malignant pleural mesothelioma(MPM) is an uncommon neoplasm which is originated from pleural mesothelial cells. The majority of MPM is associated with prior asbestos exposure. Patients often present with chest pain and dyspnea due to pleural effusion, which might be diagnosed with tuberculous pleurisy especially in Korea. MPM is well known for its poor prognosis with a median survival time of less than 12 months after diagnosis and no established standard treatment modality. We report 3 cases of MPM confirmed by video-assisted thoracoscopic biopsy first misdiagnosed as tuberculous pleurisy.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
• /
• v.6 no.1
• /
• pp.69-80
• /
• 1989

From December 1987 to September 1988, clinical evaluation were performed at the Yeungnam University Hospital on 138 patients with exudative pleural effusion comparing with biochemical, bacteriologic, cytologic and pathologic studies. The results were as follows 1. Among thease 138 cases, Incidence of tuberculosis was 57.3%, neoplasm 26.8%. High tendency in malignant pleural effusion occured in elder age. 2. In tuberculosis pleural effusion, the rate of positive smear and culture for acid-fast bacilli in the pleural fluid was 3.7% and positive biopsy for granuloma 75%. 3. In malignant pleural effusion, the rate of positive cytology for cancer cell in the fluid was 42% and positive biopsy 60%. 4. Analysis in tuberculosis and malignancy showed the tendency of high pH, WBC, protein and of low glucose, but there were clinically not significant in differentiating malignant pleural effusion from tuberculous pleural effusion. 5. Among 23 cases in which the pleural tissue findings were chronic nonspecific reaction pathologically, tuberculosis(52.2%), malignancy(26%) and idiopathic(21.8%) eventually in follow up studies.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.50 no.5
• /
• pp.607-614
• /
• 2001

Background : Residual pleural thickening is frequently seen following treatment for tuberculous pleurisy, and pleural decortication is performed occasionally in patients with severe residual pleural thickening. However, predictive factors for the development of residual pleural thickening are uncertain at the initial diagnosis of the tuberculous pleurisy. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify the associated factors for residual pleural thickening at initial diagnosis. Methods : We separated 63 patients diagnosed as tuberculous pleurisy into two groups; group 1 consisted of patients without residual pleural thickening and group 2 comprised patients with residual pleural thickening at the end of tuberculous pleurisy treatment. We analyzed the clinical characteristics, radiological findings, pleural biopsy and characteristics of pleural fluid between group 1 and group 2. Results : The study population and clinical symptoms of the two groups were not significantly different and the duration of symptoms before treatment and the peripheral WBC were similar between the two groups. The presence of pulmonary tuberculosis, pleural fluid loculation or the amount of pleural effusion sid not differ significantly between the two groups. The incidence of positive AFB staining(group 1 : 8%, group 2 : 38%) and granuloma(group 1 : 30%, group 2: 62%)on pleural biopsy specimens was significantly higher in group 2 than in group 1. Pleural fluid WBC and differential count, adenosine deaminase level, pH, protein level or glucose level did not differ between the two groups. However, group 2 had higher LDH levels ($1370{\pm}208mg/dL$) than group 1 ($860{\pm}71mg/dL$, p<0.05). Conclusion : In tuberculous pleurisy, patients with residual pleural thickening following treatment demonstrated a higher incidence of positive AFB staining and granuloma on the pleural biopsy specimens or higher LDH level in the pleural fluid than patients without residual pleural thickening From these results, we speculate that the amount of tuberculous bacilli and granuloma are probably correlated with residual pleural thickening in the tuberculous pleurisy.