Mycobacterium tuberculosis-specific immunospot assay of pleural exudate mononuclear cells is useful for the exclusion of tuberculous pleuritis in patients with lupus pleuritis.
It is often difficult to make a diagnosis of pleuritis associated with rheumatic diseases because of lack of specific diagnostic tools. We report a patient with lupus pleuritis from which tuberculous pleuritis was distinguished by Mycobacterium tuberculosis-specific enzyme-linked immunospot assay of pleural exudate mononuclear cells. After the diagnosis of lupus pleuritis, the patient was successfully treated with prednisolone.
Takase
K
K
Yokohama City University Medical Center, Center for Rheumatic Diseases, Yokohama, Japan.
Ohno
S
S
Ideguchi
H
H
Murakami
S
S
Takeno
M
M
Ishigatsubo
Y
Y
D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000150:complications*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000276:immunology*; D010998:Pleurisy / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D014396:Tuberculosis, Pleural / Q000175:diagnosis*