title: Diagnostic value of adenosine deaminase and gamma-interferon in tuberculous and malignant pleural effusions.
abstract: It has been found that both adenosine deaminase (ADA) and gamma-interferon (r-IFN) are higher in tuberculous pleural effusions than in other types of pleural effusion. Both mechanisms may be related to the T-lymphocytes in effusions. We studied 39 pleural effusions: 19 tuberculous and 20 malignant [The ADA was determined according to the Giusti method and r-IFN by ELISA]. We compared the ADA and r-IFN levels in both groups of effusions and tried to determine if there was any correlation between them. The results showed: (1) The ADA enzyme level was significantly higher in tuberculous effusions than in malignant effusions as was expected (133.0 +/- 50.4 vs 32.0 +/- 17.7 U/L). (2) The r-IFN was also significantly higher in tuberculous effusions than in malignant effusions (30.4 +/- 17.4 vs 2.9 +/- 2.8 U/ml). (3) The coefficients of regression for the ADA and r-IFN levels were poor. In conclusion, both tests for measuring ADA and r-IFN levels are excellent methods for differentiating tuberculous and malignant effusions, and especially measurement of the r-IFN level could serve as a more specific test for differentiating malignant pleural effusions with high ADA levels. However, no strong correlation was found between the ADA and r-IFN levels.
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Chiang
authors.forename: W T
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000243:Adenosine Deaminase / Q000032:analysis*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D009700:Nucleoside Deaminases / Q000032:analysis*; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014396:Tuberculosis, Pleural / Q000175:diagnosis*
chemical_list: D007371:Interferon-gamma; D009700:Nucleoside Deaminases; D000243:Adenosine Deaminase