The purpose of this study is to assess the usefulness of soluble vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the effusions of patients with malignant and tuberculous diseases. Using a sandwich enzyme-linked immunoadsorbent assay, VEGF concentration was measured in malignant (n=17) and tuberculous (n=11) pleural effusions. Pleural biopsy, cytology or microbiological methods were used to make fi...

BACKGROUND Fibroblast specific protein-1 (S100A4) is related with many fibrotic diseases, but its role in the pathogenesis of pleural fibrosis has not been fully elucidated. Then we aim to investigate the expression and effect of fibroblast specific protein-1 (S100A4) in pleural tuberculosis and, subsequently, pleural fibrosis. METHODS The expression of S100A4 in pleura was examined in 30 pat...

There has been considerable recent interest in the potential use of serum cystatin C as a diagnostic tool. Here we examined the hypothesis that the cystatin C level in the pleural effusion can differ from the corresponding serum level. We evacuated pleural effusion fluids from 47 patients by thoracentesis. Cystatin C, beta(2)-microglobulin, inorganic phosphate, creatinine and total protein were...

BACKGROUND The distinction between malignant and benign pleural effusions is a diagnostic challenge today and measuring soluble biomarkers could add to the diagnostic accuracy. Syndecan-1 is a proteoglycan involved in various cellular functions and is cleaved from the cell surface in a regulated manner. The shed fragment, which can be recovered in effusion supernatant and in serum, retains its ...

Cirrhosis, end-stage of many liver diseases, presents many complications during its evolution. One of these is the presence of pleural fluid collection syndrome. This may be a direct consequence of liver disease (hepatic hydrothorax) or may be a random association. A formidable complication due to its consequences is spontaneous pleural empyema. The present study aimed to assess the incidence, ...

The level of hyaluronic acid (HA) was determined in the pleural fluid of 99 patients, including 19 with malignant mesothelioma, 27 with lung cancer, 1 with breast cancer, 1 with mediastinal tumor and 51 with non-malignant diseases. With a cut-off level at 100 micrograms/ml, the pleural fluid concentration of HA was high in 36.8% of patients (7 of 19) with malignant mesothelioma and 1.3% of pati...

We read with interest the recent paper by QUEROL JM, BARBE F, MANRESA F, EsTEBAN L and CANETE [1]. The authors presented some patients with tuberculous pleural effusion and adenosine deaminase activity (ADA) values less than 43 U·I-• We reported previously that ADA values (Guisti method) were statistically significantly higher in tuberculous pleural effusions than in most other diseases [2]. Hi...

Pleural effusion commonly complicates many diseases and its manifestations may alter or overshadow those of the underlying disorder. The severity of the respiratory symptoms associated with pleural fluid varies markedly from patient to patient and depends to some extent on the nature of the disease causing the effusion. The present study was made in an effort to gain a better understanding of t...

INTRODUCTION The aims of this study were to determine the distribution of transudates and exudates among pathologically proven malignant pleural effusions, and to demonstrate the necessity for cytologic studies in patients with a transudative effusion. MATERIALS AND METHODS This study is a retrospective review of all subjects diagnosed with malignant or paramalignant pleural effusion over a 1...

Rickettsiosis, Q fever, tularemia, and anthrax are all bacterial diseases that can affect the pleura. Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF) and Mediterranean Spotted Fever (MSF) are caused by Rickettsia rickettsii and Rickettsia conorii, respectively. Pleural fluid from a patient with MSF had a neutrophil-predominant exudate. Coxiellaburnetii is the causative agent of Q fever. Of the two cases de...