title: Diagnostic value of ferritin in malignant pleural and peritoneal effusions.
abstract: The diagnostic usefulness of ferritin measurements in pleural and peritoneal effusions has been evaluated in 57 patients. Mean (+/- standard error [SE]) ferritin levels were 291 +/- 50 ng/ml in 24 patients with noninflammatory transudates (Group I), 942 +/- 253 in 15 patients with nonmalignant exudates (Group II), and 1805 +/- 257 in 18 patients with malignant exudates (Group III). The mean (+/- SE) ratio of effusion/serum ferritin in Groups I, II, and III was 0.7 +/- 0.1, 2.7 +/- 0.7, and 5.7 +/- 1.2, respectively. The specificity and predictive value of a ferritin ratio in excess of 1.5 in distinguishing transudates from all exudates and in distinguishing transudates from malignant exudates were both very high (94%) to 96%). In the lower range of values considerable overlap existed between ferritin ratios obtained in patients with benign versus malignant inflammatory exudates. However, very high ferritin levels (greater than 3000 ng/ml) and ferritin ratios (greater than 20:1) were only encountered in malignant exudates. These results indicate that the measurement of ferritin levels and ferritin ratios may be a useful aid in the diagnosis of malignant pleural and peritoneal effusions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yinnon
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Konijn
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Link
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Moreb
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hershko
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001202:Ascitic Fluid / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000175:diagnosis*
chemical_list: D005293:Ferritins