title: Adenosine deaminase in the diagnosis of tuberculous pleural effusions. A report of 218 patients and review of the literature.
abstract: The activity of adenosine deaminase in the pleural fluid of 218 consecutive patients was studied. According to the etiology of exudative pleural effusions, the patients were divided into the following five groups: (1) tuberculosis; (2) lung cancer; (3) pneumonias; (4) miscellaneous; and (5) idiopathic. Patients with pleural tuberculosis presented significantly higher ADA activity than patients with nontuberculous pleural effusions (p less than 0.0001). The results indicated that in a population with a relatively high prevalence of tuberculosis, the analysis of ADA levels in pleural effusions constitutes a useful marker for the diagnosis which, in addition, can be made quickly and cheaply. Additionally, a comprehensive review of the literature on the role of ADA in the diagnosis of tuberculous pleural effusions is presented.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias, SSA, Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Bañales
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Pineda
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Fitzgerald
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rubio
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Selman
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salazar-Lezama
mesh_terms: D000243:Adenosine Deaminase / Q000032:analysis*; D004796:Clinical Enzyme Tests; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005122:Exudates and Transudates / Q000201:enzymology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015201:Meta-Analysis as Topic; D008875:Middle Aged; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000209:etiology; D014396:Tuberculosis, Pleural / Q000175:diagnosis*
chemical_list: D000243:Adenosine Deaminase