Tuberculosis (TB) is a major public health problem in developing countries including Nepal. One of the common presentations of TB is pleural effusion. The diagnosis of tubercular pleural effusion can be difficult because of the low rate of detecting tubercule bacilli by direct stain and culture of pleural fluid for acid-fast bacilli (AFB). Pleural biopsy can be useful but is invasive and requir...

STUDY OBJECTIVES To assess serum amyloid alpha (SAA) pleural fluid levels in parapneumonic effusion (PPE) and to investigate SAA diagnostic performance in PPE diagnosis and outcome. METHODS We studied prospectively 57 consecutive patients with PPE (empyema (EMP), complicated (CPE), and uncomplicated parapneumonic effusion (UPE)). SAA, CRP, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 levels were evaluated in serum...

This study investigated the serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels in children with community-acquired pneumonia. Serum VEGF levels were measured in patients with pneumonia (n=29) and in control subjects (n=27) by a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The pneumonia group was classified into bronchopneumonia with pleural effusion (n=1), bronchopneumonia without pleural ef...

Pleural empyema remains a significant medical problem today because of its significant morbidity, prolonged hospitalisation, and increased risk of death. The aim of this research was to share our experience in creating an animal model of pleural empyema. The model of pleural empyema appears suitable for studies on the different methods used in the treatment of empyema and in the investigation o...

Reactive oxygen species modulator 1 (Romo1) is a novel protein that plays an important role in intracellular reactive oxygen species generation. Recently, Romo1 has been suggested to have diagnostic and prognostic potential in lung cancer. However, there is no data on the diagnostic value of Romo1 level in malignant pleural effusion. We evaluated the clinical usefulness of Romo1 in pleural flui...

BACKGROUND Simple parapneumonic effusion is a pleural effusion associated with lung infection (i.e., pneumonia). Streptococcus pneumoniae remains the most common pathogen causing parapneumonic effusions. In Morocco, the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine 13-valent (PCV13) was introduced in the national immunization program in October 2010 in 2 + 1 schedule for prevention of pneumococcal disease, an...

INTRODUCTION The cause of exudative pleural effusion cannot be determined in some patients. The longterm outcomes of patients with undiagnosed pleural effusion were analyzed. METHODS Patients with exudative pleural effusion whose diagnostic procedures included pleural biopsy using video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery carried out between 2008 and 2012 were evaluated retrospectively. Patients d...

INTRODUCTION Intrapleural fibrinolytic enzyme therapy is a potentially surgery-sparing treatment for poorly resolving parapneumonic effusion and empyema. It is safe in the majority of patients, however the most significant risk associated with this treatment is severe bleeding secondary to pleural hemorrhage. Contraindications for intrapleural enzyme therapy are not widely agreed upon and littl...

UNLABELLED The purpose of the study was to evaluate predictive value of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the differential diagnosis of pleural effusion. MATERIAL AND METHODS By Light's criteria in 29 cases exudates and 10 transudates was recognized. We investigated 39 patients with pleural effusion (congestive heart failure--10, parapneumonic--11, tuberculous--6, malignant--12, tr...