title: Exudative pleural effusion: effectiveness of pleural fluid analysis and pleural biopsy.
abstract: The study compared pleural fluid analysis and pleural biopsy in the diagnosis of 100 patients with exudative pleural effusion (PE) in Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran. Tuberculous pleurisy and malignant pleural effusion were confirmed by the identification of acid-fast bacilli from body fluids or tumour cells from tissue specimens. Malignant diseases and tuberculosis were the causes of exudative PE in 43% and 33% of patients respectively. The diagnostic sensitivity of pleural biopsy in patients with tuberculous PE and malignant PE was 70% and 54%, and the diagnostic sensitivity of pleural fluid analysis was 33% and 70% respectively. Combined pleural biopsy and pleural fluid analysis were positive in 97% of tuberculous PE cases and 91% of malignant PE.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti Hospital, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Islamic Republic of Iran. heidaribeh@yahoo.com
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Heidari
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bijani
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eissazadeh
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Heidari
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid; D001999:Bronchoscopy; D015984:Causality; D002648:Child; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005122:Exudates and Transudates / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D010997:Pleural Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000556:secondary; D011506:Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014396:Tuberculosis, Pleural / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D011506:Proteins; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase