title: Diagnostic value of ferritin measurements in patients with pleural effusions.
abstract: The diagnostic value of ferritin measurements has been evaluated in 59 patients with pleural effusions (PE). The Mean(+/- standard error [SE]) PE-ferritin level was 1913 +/- 720 ng/ml in 10 patients with nonmalignant nontuberculous (nonTB) exudates (Group I), 594 +/- 110 ng/ml in 14 patients with TB effusions (Group II), 1286 +/- 194 ng/ml in 28 patients with malignant exudates (Group III), and 280 +/- 60 ng/ml in 7 patients with transudates (Group IV). Significant difference was found between Group II and Group III (p less than 0.05). The mean (+/- SE) ratio of PE/serum (PE/S) ferritin in Groups I, II, III, and IV was 3.5 +/- 1.1, 10.5 +/- 5.1, 4.9 +/- 1.0, and 2.0 +/- 0.7, respectively, and it showed no significant difference among Groups I, II, and III. There were good correlations between PE-ferritin and PE-LDH or S-ferritin, but no correlation between PE-ferritin and PE-protein. PE-ferritin revealed a considerable overlap among the exudative groups, and was of no value in the differentiation between malignant and nonmalignant (Group I + II) exudates. In the discrimination between exudates and transudates, the diagnostic accuracy (86%) of PE-ferritin was inferior to those (all 98%) of PE-protein, PE-LDH, PE/S protein ratio, and PE/S LDH ratio. Using PE-ferritin greater than or equal to 500 ng/ml in distinguishing malignant exudates from TB effusions, the sensitivity was 79%, specificity 57% and accuracy 71%.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.forename: I W
authors.initials: IW
authors.lastname: Chong
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: T H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Chiang
authors.forename: S Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Tsai
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005122:Exudates and Transudates / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011506:Proteins / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D011506:Proteins; D005293:Ferritins; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase