title: Elevated levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptors in tuberculous pleural effusions.
abstract: The levels of soluble IL-2R were measured in pleural fluid from patients with tuberculosis pleurisy. There were significantly elevated soluble IL-2R values in tuberculous pleural fluid as compared with pleural fluid of nontuberculous etiology including malignant, bacterial and transudative pleural effusions. In patients with tuberculous pleurisy, the level of soluble IL-2R in pleural fluid was markedly greater than that in serum. Furthermore, a significant positive correlation was observed between soluble IL-2R levels and adenosine deaminase levels in tuberculous pleural fluid. These findings suggest that elevated levels of pleural fluid soluble IL-2R in tuberculous pleurisy could reflect the local proliferation of activated T-cells and may be clinically useful in the diagnostic procedures for patients with pleural tuberculosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Kinki Central Hospital, Hyogo, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kojiro
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shirasaka
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Moriwaki
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tachibana
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kokubu
mesh_terms: D000243:Adenosine Deaminase / Q000032:analysis; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000378:metabolism*; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000032:analysis*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D014396:Tuberculosis, Pleural / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D000243:Adenosine Deaminase