Table 2. Biochemical and cytological characteristics in serum and pleural effusions.
| Variable | Tuberculosis (n=21) | Pneumonia (n=13) | Malignancy (n=13) | P value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Serum | ||||
| WBC, ×103/m3 | 6.8 (6.3–9.3) | 17.9 (10.8–26.9) | 8.4 (6.6–10.0) | 0.001 |
| Neutrophil, % | 75 (72.0–80.0) | 88 (77.0–90.0) | 75 (63.0–78.0) | 0.003 |
| Lymphocyte, % | 15 (11.0–16.0) | 6 (5.0–12.0) | 17 (12.0–22.0) | 0.002 |
| Protein, g/dL | 6.7 (6.1–7.2) | 6.3 (5.6–7.3) | 6.2 (5.8–6.8) | 0.402 |
| Albumin, g/dL | 3.7 (3.3–3.9) | 3.2 (2.7–3.8) | 3.8 (3.4–4.2) | 0.183 |
| LDH, IU/L | 210 (164.0–253.0) | 184 (170.0–260.0) | 209 (188.0–234.0) | 0.894 |
| CRP, mg/dL | 64 (45.0–95.0) | 224 (112.0–282.0) | 18 (4.0–51.0) | <0.001 |
| Pleural effusion | ||||
| WBC, ×103/m3 | 2.5 (1.1–6.6) | 6.2 (1.7–12.3) | 2.2 (0.6–6.4) | 0.270 |
| Neutrophil, % | 20 (9.0–31.0) | 80 (77.0–90.0) | 10 (4.0–63.0) | <0.001 |
| Lymphocyte | 66 (34.0–80.0) | 10 (5.0–19.0) | 40 (20.0–73.0) | <0.001 |
| Protein, g/dL | 5.1 (4.5–5.6) | 4.9 (3.9–5.6) | 4.1 (3.2–4.7) | 0.007 |
| Albumin, g/dL | 3.1 (2.6–3.6) | 2.9 (2.5–3.5) | 2.2 (1.7–3.1) | 0.126 |
| LDH, IU/L | 481 (245.0–627.0) | 863 (440.0–1,399.0) | 253 (156.0–359.0) | 0.002 |
| ADA, IU/L | 76 (54.0–94.0) | 35 (17.0–45.0) | 16 (11.0–20.0) | <0.001 |
| CEA, ng/mL | 0.8 (0.5–2.1) | 1.3 (1.2–3.6) | 15 (2.0–43.0) | <0.001 |
Data are presented as medians (interquartile rage) or numbers (%). WBC, white blood cell; LDH, lactate dehydrogenase; CRP, C-reactive protein; ADA, adenosine deaminase; CEA, carcino-embryonic antigen.