The value of biochemical parameters in diagnosis of pleural effusion

Objective To study the value of biochemical parameters in three types of pleural effusion.Methods Sixty-five cases of malignant pleural effusion,32 cases of tuberculous pleural effusion and 35 cases of pneumonic pleural effusion were included in this study.Measure the level of adenosine deaminase(ADA),lactate dehydrogenase(LDH),protein,albumin and glucose with HITACHI 7150 analyzer,and analyze the differences statistically.Results The activities of ADA in tuberculous group were higher than those in the malignant and pneumonic pleural effusion group(P0.01).LDH activities in malignant pleural effusion and serum were higher than those in the other groups(P0.05).LDH activities in bronchogenic carcinoma were higher than those in mesothelioma group(P0.05).ADA activities in mesothelioma pleural effusin were higher than those in bronchogenic carcinoma group(P0.05).Conclusion High LDH level and low ADA level in pleural effusion are the indicators of malignant pleural effusion,and high ADA level is the diagnostis marker of tuberculous pleural effusion.