[The significance of detecting tumor necrosis factor-alpha and its receptors in serum and pleural effusion in differentiating tuberculosis and malignant pleural effusions].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the significance of TNF-alpha and its soluble receptors (sTNFR-I and sTNFR-II) in differentiating benign and malignant pleural disease.


METHODS
TNF-alpha and its soluble receptors (sTNFR-I and sTNFR-II) were detected using ELISA method in the serum and pleural effusion of 25 cases of tuberculosis pleural effusion and 28 cases of malignant pleural effusion, and in the serum of 32 cases of normal control.


RESULTS
TNF-alpha level in the serum of tuberculosis patients with pleural effusion is (16.4 +/- 6.2) ng/L, lower than that in the serum of malignant pleural effusion patients (20.5 +/- 10.9) ng/L (P < 0.01), but higher than that in the serum of normal control (11.0 +/- 2.9) ng/L (P < 0.01). TNF-alpha level in the pleural effusion of tuberculosis patients is (29.4 +/- 10.3) ng/L, significantly higher than that of malignant pleural effusion (11.7 +/- 2.0) ng/L (P < 0.01). The sTNFR-I and sTNFR-II level in the serum of malignant pleural effusion is (1,132 +/- 303) ng/L and (1,548 +/- 489) ng/L respectively, significantly higher than that in tuberculosis pleural effusion which is (979 +/- 146) ng/L and (977 +/- 93) ng/L (P < 0.01) respectively. The sTNFR-I and sTNFR-II level in malignant pleural effusion is (1,404 +/- 306) ng/L and (2,195 +/- 418) ng/L respectively, markedly higher than those in tuberculosis pleural effusion which is (1,185 +/- 215) ng/L and (1,195 +/- 300) ng/L (P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
There are highly elevated TNF-alpha in tuberculosis pleural effusion; The sTNFR-I and sTNFR-II level in the serum and pleural effusion of malignant pleural effusion patients are significantly higher than those in tuberculosis pleural effusion patients, suggesting they may play some role in differentiating benign and malignant pleural diseases.
Zhou
J
J
1st Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310003, China.
Zhao
Q
Q
Yao
H
H
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000737:chemistry*; D016066:Pleural Effusion, Malignant / Q000175:diagnosis*; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000032:analysis*; D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I; D047889:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type II; D014396:Tuberculosis, Pleural / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis*
D015703:Antigens, CD; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I; D047889:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type II; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha