Simultaneous Measurements of Adenosine Deaminase Activity and Tuberculostearic Acid in Pleural Effusions for the Diagnosis of Tuberculous Pleuritis

Abstract

Adenosine deaminase (ADA) activity and tuberculostearic acid (TSA) levels in pleural effusions were measured in 18 patients with active tuberculous pleuritis, 16 patients suspected of having tuberculous pleuritis, 14 patients with carcinomatous pleuritis, and 19 patients uffering from pleuritis of non-malignant and non-tuberculous etiology. In the patients with ctive tuberculous pleuritis, ADA was elevated in 56% and TSA was positive in 78%. In 83% f these patients, either ADA was elevated or TSA was positive. ADA was elevated together ith a positive TSA in 50%. In contrast, TSA was positive in only 6%and ADA was elevated n 24%of the patients with non-tuberculous pleuritis, and none of these patients showed the ombination of an elevation of ADA and a positive TSA. These results suggest that simultaneous easurements of both ADA and TSA in pleural effusions are useful for the diagnosis of uberculous pleuritis.
(Internal Medicine 31 : 752-755, 1992)