%0 Journal Article %A Marios Panagiotou %A Andriana I. Papaioannou %A Filia Diamantea %A Styliani Giannakaki %A Elvira Markela Antonogiannaki %A Sofia Pouriki %A Alexandros Kalkanis %A Anna Takou %A George D. Maropoulos %A Emmanuel Kastanakis %A Vlassios Polychronopoulos %A Konstantinos Kostikas %A Napoleon Karagianidis %T 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D in malignant and non-malignant pleural effusions %D 2013 %J European Respiratory Journal %P P3080 %V 42 %N Suppl 57 %X Background:Vitamin D (VitD) is a key modulator of host immune response and is raised in patients with lung cancer. However, there are no studies evaluating the levels of VitD in malignant pleural effusions.Objectives:To evaluate the diagnostic role of VitD levels in pleural effusions of various etiologies.Methods:Prospective study of consecutive patients with a new diagnosis of pleural effusion. Exclusion criteria included previous diagnostic/therapeutic attempts or no definite diagnosis after at least 6-month follow up. Pleural fluid and serum samples were collected, protected from light exposure and immediately stored in -20°C until testing for VitD with Chemiluminescent Immunoassay.Results:Fifty patients were studied. Pleural VitD was higher than serum VitD(p<0.001). Pleural VitD did not differ between exudates and transudates(p=0.31) but was significantly higher in malignant compared to benign effusions (p=0.037). VitD levels > 11.6 ng/ml were diagnostic for malignant effusions (Sensitivity=68%,Specificity=73%,PPV=81%,NPV=58%). Malignant effusions with positive cytology had higher levels of VitD than those with negative cytology (p=0.007). Pleural VitD did not differ between effusions caused by lung cancer versus non-lung cancer (p=0.72). VitD levels in malignant effusions above the upper quartile (i.e. 24.5 ng/ml) were related to better survival during the 6-month follow up compared to lower levels (p<0.001,log rank test).Conclusions:Malignant pleural effusions present increased levels of VitD and higher levels of pleural VitD were associated to positive cytology, plausibly reflecting a greater local immune response. Increased levels of VitD were associated with better survival in this small population. %U https://erj.ersjournals.com/content/erj/42/Suppl_57/P3080.full.pdf