Clinicopathological study was performed in each case of hyaluronate-rich pleural effusion, glycoprotein-rich peritoneal effusion and peritoneal pseudomyxoma, with emphasis on differentiation of viscous or gellatinous serous effusions. High viscosity and mucin clot formation were found in both hyaluronate-rich and glycoprotein-rich effusions, but the grades were higher in the former. Elimination of high viscosity was obtained by hyaluronidase in the former and by pronase in the latter. Peritoneal pseudomyxoma manifested itself as organized gel, i. e. tissue mass containing abundant glycoprotein, and became solub ilized by pronase, but not by neuraminidase. On chemical analysis, hyaluronate-rich effusion was characterized by high uronic acid and low fucose content, while in glycoprotein-rich effusion and pseudomyxoma high sialic acid and fucose values were noted in common.
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