title: Ratios of pleural fluid to serum immunoglobulins in malignant pleural effusions.
abstract: Pleural fluid and serum protein electrophoresis and quantitative immunoglobulin measurements were carried out in patients with pleural effusions. The mean pleural fluid/serum ratios of IgA, IgG, and IgM were elevated in patients with malignant pleural effusions compared with patients with nonmalignant pleural effusions (P less than 0.04). The sensitivity of a pleural/serum IgA, IgG ratio P greater than 0.6 was 46%, 69%, respectively, and for IgM ratio greater than 0.5 was 28%. The specificity for these same ratios was 89%, 74%, and 100% respectively.
mesh_terms: D001797:Blood Protein Electrophoresis; D001826:Body Fluids / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000032:analysis; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000276:immunology*; D010997:Pleural Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000556:secondary*; D011336:Probability
chemical_list: D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase