title: Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in pleural fluids.
abstract: Our study was undertaken to investigate the role of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) at the site of disease activity in tuberculous pleuritis (TP). Concentrations of TNF-alpha were measured directly by radioimmunoassay (RIA) in the pleural fluid (PF) and plasma (P) of patients with TP (n = 14), malignant effusions (n = 18) and transudates (n = 7). Among these three groups mean plasma levels of TNF-alpha were not statistically significant (P > 0.05), but in the TP group mean levels of TNF-alpha in PF were significantly higher than in the cancer and transudate groups (P < 0.001), and there was no significant difference between the cancer and transudate groups (P > 0.05). These results may indicate a local synthesis of TNF-alpha by cells within the pleural cavity in this disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chest Diseases, Gazi University School of Medicine, Turkey.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gürsel
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gökçora
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Elbeg
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Samurkaşoğlu
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ekim
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D005122:Exudates and Transudates / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000378:metabolism*; D016066:Pleural Effusion, Malignant / Q000737:chemistry; D014396:Tuberculosis, Pleural / Q000378:metabolism*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha