title: Intestinal lymphangiectasia and bilateral pleural effusions: effect of dietary therapy and surgical intervention on immunologic and pulmonary parameters.
abstract: This article describes the immunologic and pulmonary abnormalities and the chemical composition of pleural effusion fluid in a patient with intestinal lymphangiectasia as they are effected by therapeutic measures during a 7-year period. Lymphedema was first noticed in the patient at 3 years of age, and pleural effusions developed 7 years later. Thoracentesis demonstrated that the right pleural fluid was yellow, clear, and had the composition of lymph. The left pleural fluid was milky and had a higher triglyceride and lymphocyte content than the right pleural fluid. Complete removal of pleural fluid transiently increased total lung capacity to a maximum of 52% predicted. Strict dietary management with a low-fat and high-protein diet resulted in a transient partial reversal of circulating lymphopenia and low T cell concentration. This was accompanied by a decrease in lymphocyte and T cell concentration in the pleural fluid. Unstimulated mononuclear cells from pleural fluid synthesized increased amounts of DNA, and added mitogens or antigens further increased DNA synthesis. Dietary therapy had a minimal effect on this DNA synthesis. Despite circulating hypogammaglobulinemia, normal antibody activity was detected. The proportion of B cells in pleural fluid was greater than that in the circulation, and dietary therapy did not alter this difference. Pulmonary physiology improved during the initial 9-month period of diet therapy, but then the rate of fluid accumulation increased, causing respiratory compromise. Stability was achieved by a right-sided pleurodesis, followed 18 months later by a left pleurodesis with the addition of a shunt to provide internal lymph drainage.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000032:analysis; D008168:Lung / Q000503:physiopathology; D008201:Lymphangiectasis, Intestinal / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D011504:Protein-Losing Enteropathies / Q000628:therapy*; D012397:Rosette Formation
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007136:Immunoglobulins