Abstract
Background: Exudative pleural effusions have a broad etiology and usually necessitate further investigative workup including invasive procedures.
Aims and Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare the clinical and biochemical characteristics of tuberculous and malignant/nontuberculous pleural effusions.
Methods: This is a prospective multicenter cohort study of patients referred for medical thoracoscopy with an exudative pleural effusion.
Results: A total of 159 patients were enrolled in the study with a mean age of 42.49 ± 13.8 years. Patients with tuberculous effusions had a higher body temperature 37.2 ± 0.7 vs 36.9 ± 0.4, p <0.001). Serum analysis showed a statistically significant difference between white blood cell count 9.0 ±3.3 vs 7.5±2.7, p 0.004 and total protein 70.2 ± 8.9 vs 76.2 ± 10.1, p < 0.001 between tuberculous and non-tuberculosis effusions. Pleural fluid analysis revealed a significantly higher lymphocyte count, protein, and ADA in tuberculous effusions. (Table1)
Conclusion: Our study validates previous findings showing similar results in patients with tuberculous pleural effusions. A predictive model using several of the collected parameters is being developed.
Footnotes
Cite this article as: European Respiratory Journal 2023; 62: Suppl. 67, PA5086.
This abstract was presented at the 2023 ERS International Congress, in session “Inflammatory endotyping: the macrophage across disease areas”.
This is an ERS International Congress abstract. No full-text version is available. Further material to accompany this abstract may be available at www.ers-education.org (ERS member access only).
- Copyright ©the authors 2023
