title: Pericardial effusion: clinical and analytical parameters clues.
abstract: Prospectively, clinical and biochemical data of 83 patients with a diagnosis of pericardial effusion were studied. The etiologies were as follows: Idiopathic: 42 cases (50%); Tuberculous: 18 cases (22%); Neoplastic: 14 cases (17%); Other: 9 cases (11%) with a miscellaneous etiology. Sedimentation rate resulted significantly higher in Tuberculous group (67-102), p<0.05. The highest values of adenosine deaminase in pericardial fluid were observed in Tuberculous group (110 U/l), p<0.001. Diagnosis of tuberculosis was established by culture of the bacillus in sputum in 8 cases and by pericardial biopsy in 11 patients. Analysis of the pericardial fluid leads to diagnosis in 25 cases (30%). The pericardial biopsy resulted as the most reliable method for the diagnosis of tuberculous pericarditis.
authors.forename: Gustavo Iglesias
authors.initials: GI
authors.lastname: Cubero
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rubin
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martín
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rondan
authors.forename: Eugenio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Simarro
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010490:Pericardial Effusion / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D010495:Pericarditis, Tuberculous / Q000175:diagnosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014374:Tuberculin Test