• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.438-450
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• 1998

Pleural effusion means the inflammation of pleura which has a majority of respiratory disease. The main clinical manifestation is pleural effusional pain, dyspnea, cough, fever, etc. and at present the Tuberculous pleural effusion has the most frequency in which exists exudate in our country. And during studying oriental medical treatment about Tuberculous exudative pleural effusional patient, we found the clinical case about The Combination therapy of Chinese traditional and Western medicine at journal of traditional Chinese Medicine and considered it would be help in oriental medical treatment, so we adjust and report now. This study was performed by analyzing the six papers reported centering around the clinical case of The Combination therapy of Chinese traditional and Western medicine in journal of traditional Chinese Medicine published between 1990-1996. As these papers have no mistakes on diagnosis because it obtained pleurocentesis, tuberculin test positive reaction on choicing clinical case, definite results on X-ray, ultrasound as well as clinical basis, so it considers an apt conclusion. The results were as follows: 1. Western medical treatment uses chemical remedy same with pulmonary tuberculosis, and in case of tubercular pleuritis, it needs thoracic duct pyorrhea, and according to simple exudation also operates therapheutic pleural paracentesis. 2. In case of hydrothorax absorption about tuberculous pleural effusion, prescription of purge the heat accumulated in the lung and eliminate the retention of fluid with powerful purgatives shows considerable effects. 3. The latter period treatment of tuberculous pleural effusion needs Supplement qi and active the collaterals, Nourishing yin and clearing heat in addition to Supporting healthy energy to eliminate evils. 4. In case of curing tuberculous pleural effusion, The Combination therapy of Chinese traditional and Western medicine shows more considerable effect than single western medical treatment in absorption of hydrothorax. 5. In case of curing tuberculous pleural effusion, The Combination therapy of Chinese traditional and Western medicine shows more considerable effect than single western medical treatment in prevention of disease reappearance. 6. In case of curing tuberculous pleural effusion, The Combination therapy of Chinese traditional and Western medicine shows more considerable effect than single western medical treatment in vitality recovery at the latter period of disease.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.53 no.5
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• pp.530-541
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• 2002

Background : Pleural fluid adenosine deaminase (ADA) activity can be helpful in a differntial diagnosis of an exudative pleural effusion because it is increased in a tuberculous pleural effusion. The ADA activity is determined mainly by the lymphocyte function. Age-associated immune decline is characterized by a decrease in T-lymphocyte function. For that reason, the pleural fluid ADA level would be lower in older patients with exudative pleural effusion. This study focused on the influence of age on the pleural fluid ADA activity in patients with exudative pleural effusion. Methods : A total of 81 patients with exudative pleural effusion were enrolled in this study. In all patients, the pleural fluid ADA activity was measured using an automated kinetic method. Results : The mean age of the patients was $52.7{\pm}21.2$ years. In all patients with exudative pleural effusion, the pleural fluid ADA activity revealed a significant difference between young patients (under 65 years of age) and old patients (p<0.05), and showed a negative correlation with age (r=-0.325, p<0.05). In the 60 patients with a tuberculous pleural effusion, the pleural fluid ADA activity revealed a significant difference between the young and older patients : $103.5{\pm}36.9$ IU/L in young patients Vs. $72.2{\pm}31.6$ IU/L in old patients (p<0.05), and showed a negative correlation with age (r=-0.384, p<0.05). In the 21 patients with non-tuberculous exudative pleural effusion, the pleural fluid ADA activity of the young patients and old patients was similar : $23.7{\pm}15.3$ IU/L in young patients Vs. $16.1{\pm}10.2$ IU/L in old patients (p>0.05), and did not show any correlation with age (r=-0.263, p>0.05). The diagnostic cutoff value of pleural fluid ADA activity for tuberculous pleural effusion was lower in the older patients (25.9 IU/L) than in the younger patients (49.1 IU/L) or all patients (38.4 IU/L) with exudative pleural effusion. Conclusion : Tuberculous pleural effusion is an important possibility to consider in older patients with a clinical suspicion of a tuberculous pleural effusion, although no marked increase in the pleural fluid ADA activity is usually detected. For a diagnosis of a tuberculous pleural effusion in old patients, the cutoff for the pleural fluid ADA activity should be set lower.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.611-620
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• 1997

Objectives : The differentiation of tuberculous effusion from the other causes of exudative pleural effusion remained difficult even with aids of biochemical analyses and pleural biopsy. As the pathophysiology of tuberculous pleural effusion is an enhanced cell mediated immunity, Adenosine deaminase(ADA) and various eytokines including Inteferon-$\gamma$, tumor necrosis factor alpha(TNF-$\alpha$) are considered as useful diagnostic tools in differentiating exudative pleural effusion. The author would like to demonstrate the diagnostic usefulness of TNF-$\alpha$ in the differentiation of exudative pleural effusion, and compared the discriminating ability of TNF-$\alpha$ with ADA. Methods : Pleural fluids obtained from 80 patients (tuberculous : 39, malignant : 31, parapneumonic : 10) with exudate pleural effusions were processed for cell counts and biochemical analysis including ADA and TNF-$\alpha$. Results : Tuberculous pleural fluid showed higher levels of ADA and TNF-$\alpha$, $48.7{\pm}32.7U/L$ and $184.1{\pm}214.2pg/mL$ than that of non-tuberculous effusion $26.0{\pm}41.3U/L$ and $44.1{\pm}114.2pg/mL$, respectively (ADA, TNF-$\alpha$, p < 0.05, p < 0.01). Receiver operating characteristics(ROC) curves were generated for ADA and TNF-$\alpha$ and the best cut-off value for adenosine deaminase and TNF-$\alpha$were considered as 30U/L and 15pg/ml, respectively. Comparing the area under the ROC curves, there was no significant difference between ADA and TNF-$\alpha$. Conclusion : For the differential diagnosis of tuberculous pleural effusion from the other causes of exudative pleural effusions, TNF-$\alpha$ as well as ADA was considered as useful diagnostic method. However adding TNF-$\alpha$ to ADA has no further diagnotic benefit than ADA alone.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.62 no.6
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• pp.499-505
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• 2007

Background: Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 1 protein (TREM-1) is a cell surface molecule expressed on neutrophils and monocytes, and it plays an important role in myeloid cell-activated inflammatory response. The aim of this study was to investigate the diagnostic efficiency of soluble (s) TREM-1 in the patients who had pleural effusion from various causes. Methods: Forty-five patients with exudative pleural effusion were included in this study. The level of sTREM-1 was measured in both the serum and pleural fluids by immunoblot assay with using human-sTREM-1 antibody. Results: The pleural fluid sTREM-1 was significantly different in the three groups of exudative pleural effusion (p=0.011). Particularly, the patients with parapneumonic effusion were found to have significantly higher pleural fluid levels of sTREM-1 than patients with tuberculous (p<0.05) and malignant effusion, respectively (p<0.05). However, the serum sTREM-1 did not show a significant difference in the three groups. In order to evaluate the diagnostic utility of pleural fluid sTREM-1, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was constructed and the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.818 (p=0.001). Using a cutoff value of 103.5 pg/mL for the pleural fluid sTREM-1, the sensitivity and specificity were 73% and 81%, respectively, for differentiating parapneumonic effusion from tuberculous or malignant effusions. Conclusion: Pleural fluid sTREM-1 can be an additional marker for making the differential diagnosis of pleural effusion.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.899-906
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• 1997

Background : The percutaneous pleural needle biopsy have been regarded as cornerstone in the diagnosis of lymphocyte dominant pleural effusions of which acid fast bacilli smear and cytologic exam was negative. However, the complications of percutaneous pleural needle biopsy is not rare and its diagnostic efficacy is not always satisfactory. Recently, pleural fluid adenosine deaminase (ADA) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) are widely accepted as markers of tuberculous pleurisy and malignant pleural effusion respectively. We designed this study to re-evaluate the role of percutaneous pleural needle biopsy in the diagnosis of lymphocyte dominant exudative pleural effusions whose AFB smear, cytologic exam was negative. Method : Retrospective analysis of 73 cases of percutaneous pleural needle biopsy in case of lymphocyte dominant exudative pleural effusions whose AFB smear and cytoloic exam was negative from Jan 1994 to Feb 1996 was done. Result : In 35 cases, specific diagnosis was obtained(all cases were tuberculous pleurisy), and in 30 cases specific diagnosis was not obtained in spite of getting adequate pleural tissues, and in the other 8 cases, percutaneous pleural biopsy failed to get pleural tissues. In 9 cases, complications were combined including pneuomothorax and hemothorax. All 49 cases of pleural effusions whose ADA value was higher than 40IU/L and satisfying other categories were finally diagnosed as tuberculous pleurisy, however, the pleural biopsy confirmed only 28 cases as tuberculous pleurisy. In 6 cases of pleural effusions of which CEA value is higher than 10ng/ml, the pleural biopsy made specific diagnosis in no case. Final diagnosis of above 6 cases consisted of 4 malignant effusions, 1 malignancy associated effusion and 1 tuberculous pleurisy. Conclusion : In the diagnosis of 73 cases of lymphocyte dominant pleural effusions of which acid fast bacilli smear and cytologic exam was negative, percutaneous pleural biopsy diagnosed only in 35 cases. In the diagnosis of tuberculous pleurisy, the positive predictive value of higher ADA than 40 IU/L in lymphocyte dominant pleural effusion with negative AFB smear and negative cytologic exam was 100%. And the diagnostic efficacy of pleural biopsy was 57%. In cases of effusions with high CEA than 10ng/ml 83% and 0% respectively. Finally, we concluded that percutaneous pleural needle biopsy in the diagnosis of AFB smear negative and cytologic exam negative lymphocyte dominant exudative pleural effusion was not obligatory. especially in effusions with high ADA and low CEA value.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.59 no.6
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• pp.625-630
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• 2005

Background : Determining the cause of an exudative pleural effusion is sometimes quite difficult, especially between malignant and tuberculous effusions. Twenty percent of effusions remain undiagnosed even after a complete diagnostic evaluation, including pleural biopsy. The activity of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-${\alpha}$), which is the one of proinflammatory cytokines, is increased in both infectious and malignant effusions. The aim of this study was to investigate the diagnostic efficiency of TNF-${\alpha}$ activity in distinguishing tuberculous from malignant effusions. Methods : 46 patients (13 with malignant pleural effusion, 33 with tuberculous pleural effusion) with exudative pleurisy were included. TNF-${\alpha}$ concentrations were measured in the pleural fluid and serum samples using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In addition, TNF-${\alpha}$ ratio (pleural fluid TNF-${\alpha}$ : serum TNF-${\alpha}$) was calculated. Results : TNF-${\alpha}$ concentration and TNF-${\alpha}$ ratio in the pleural fluid were significantly higher in the tuberculous effusions than in the malignant effusions (p<0.05). However, the serum levels of TNF-${\alpha}$ in the malignant and tuberculous pleural effusions were similar (p>0.05). The cut off points for the pleural fluid TNF-${\alpha}$ level and TNF-${\alpha}$ ratio were found to be 136.4 pg/mL and 6.4, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity and area under the curve were 81%, 80% and 0.82 for the pleural fluid TNF-${\alpha}$ level (p<0.005) and 76%, 70% and 0.72 for the TNF-${\alpha}$ ratio (p<0.05). Conclusion : We conclude that pleural fluid TNF-${\alpha}$ level and TNF-${\alpha}$ ratio can distinguish a malignant pleural effusion from a tuberculous effusion, and can be additional markers in a differential diagnosis of tuberculous and malignant pleural effusion. The level of TNF-${\alpha}$ in the pleural fluid could be a more efficient marker than the TNF-${\alpha}$ ratio.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.63 no.4
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• pp.353-361
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• 2007

Background: Malignancies are a common and important causes of exudative pleural effusions. Several tumor markers have been studied because the pleural fluid cytology and pleural biopsy specimens do not provide a diagnosis in a high percentage of malignant effusions. In an attempt to overcome this limitation, procalcitonin and C-reactive protein (CRP) in pleural effusions and serum, which are known to be inflammation markers, were measured to determine if they can differentiate an exudate from trasndate as well as the diverse causes of exudative pleural effusion. Methods: 178 consecutive patients with pleural effusion (malignant 57, tuberculous 51, parapneumonic 31, empyema 5, miscellaneous benign 7, transudative 27)were studied prospectively. The standard parameters of pleural effusion and measured serum and pleural procalcitonin were examined using in immunoluminometric assay. The level of CRP in serum and pleural fluid was determined by turbidimetric immunoassay. Results: The pleural procalcitonin levels in the exudate were significantly higher than those in the transudate, $0.81{\pm}3.09ng/mL$ and $0.12{\pm}0.12ng/mL$, respectively (p=0.007). The pleural CRP levels were significantly higher in the exudate than the transudate, $2.83{\pm}3.31mg/dL$ and $0.74{\pm}0.67mg/dL$, respectively (p<0.001). The pleural procalcitonin levels in the benign effusion were significantly higher than those in the malignant effusion, $1.15{\pm}3.82ng/mL$ and $0.25{\pm}0.92ng/mL$, respectively (p=0.032). The pleural CRP levels were significantly higher in the benign effusion than in the malignant effusion, $3.68{\pm}3.78mg/dL$ and $1.42{\pm}1.54mg/dL$, respectively (p<0.001). The pleural procalcitonin levels in the non-tuberculous effusion were significantly higher than those in the tuberculous effusion, $1.16{\pm}3.75ng/mL$ and $0.13{\pm}0.37ng/mL$, respectively (p=0.008). Conclusion: Measuring the level of procalcitonin and CRP in the pleural fluid is helpful for differentiating between transudates and exudates. In addition, it is useful for differentiating between benign and malignant pleural effusions.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.50-54
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• 2015

Malignant mesothelioma is a common, primary tumor that can invade pleura, and is associated with previous exposure to asbestos. However, it poses considerable difficulties regarding its diagnosis and treatment, and thus, accurate history taking with respect to exposure to asbestos, and radiologic and pathologic examinations are essential. In addition, the involvement of a multidisciplinary team is recommended in order to ensure prompt and appropriate management using a framework based on radiotherapy, chemotherapy, surgery, and symptom palliation with end-of-life care. Because lymphocyte-dominant, exudative pleural effusion can occur in malignant mesothelioma, adenosine deaminase values may be elevated, which could be mistaken for tuberculous pleurisy, and lead to an incorrect diagnosis and suboptimal treatment. The authors describe a case of malignant mesothelioma initially misdiagnosed as tuberculous pleurisy. As evidenced by the described case, malignant mesothelioma should be considered during the differential diagnosis of patients with lymphocyte-dominant, exudative pleural effusion with a pleural lung lesion.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.59 no.5
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• pp.517-521
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• 2005

Background : The balances of the proteinases and antiproteinases system have been implicated in the pathogenesis of various exudative pleural effusions. The aim of this study was to examine the matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) levels in exudative pleural effusions. Methods : The study included 33 tuberculous effusions, 17 malignant, and 5 transudates. The pleural levels of MMP-1 and TIMP-1 were determined using a commercially available ELISA assay. Results : The group of tuberculous effusions showed higher pleural MMP-1 levels than the malignant and transudates. The pleural TIMP-1 levels of the tuberculous and malignant effusions were higher than the transudates. Conclusion : Elevated pleural MMP-1 and TIMP-1 levels were found in tuberculous effusions.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.69-80
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• 1989

From December 1987 to September 1988, clinical evaluation were performed at the Yeungnam University Hospital on 138 patients with exudative pleural effusion comparing with biochemical, bacteriologic, cytologic and pathologic studies. The results were as follows 1. Among thease 138 cases, Incidence of tuberculosis was 57.3%, neoplasm 26.8%. High tendency in malignant pleural effusion occured in elder age. 2. In tuberculosis pleural effusion, the rate of positive smear and culture for acid-fast bacilli in the pleural fluid was 3.7% and positive biopsy for granuloma 75%. 3. In malignant pleural effusion, the rate of positive cytology for cancer cell in the fluid was 42% and positive biopsy 60%. 4. Analysis in tuberculosis and malignancy showed the tendency of high pH, WBC, protein and of low glucose, but there were clinically not significant in differentiating malignant pleural effusion from tuberculous pleural effusion. 5. Among 23 cases in which the pleural tissue findings were chronic nonspecific reaction pathologically, tuberculosis(52.2%), malignancy(26%) and idiopathic(21.8%) eventually in follow up studies.