Table 1. Clinical, radiological, and laboratory differences between neutrophilic and lymphocytic TPE patients.
| Variable | Total (n=375) | Neutrophilic (n=39) | Lymphocytic (n=336) | P value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Demographic | ||||
| Age, [range] years | 65 [38–76] | 58 [36–75] | 66 [38–77] | 0.669 |
| Male, n [%] | 242 [65] | 30 [77] | 212 [63] | 0.088 |
| Clinical, n [%] | ||||
| Past TB history | 31 [8] | 5 [13] | 26 [8] | 0.351 |
| Symptoms duration >14 days | 203 [54] | 19 [49] | 184 [55] | 0.438 |
| Chest pain | 193 [51] | 19 [49] | 174 [52] | 0.676 |
| Fever | 179 [48] | 24 [62] | 155 [46] | 0.076 |
| Radiological, n [%] | ||||
| Any parenchymal lesion | 254 [68] | 30 [77] | 224 [67] | 0.195 |
| Consolidative | 107 [29] | 13 [33] | 94 [28] | 0.483 |
| Nodular | 199 [53] | 27 [69] | 172 [51] | 0.033 |
| Cavitary | 43 [11] | 10 [26] | 33 [10] | 0.007 |
| Loculated | 132 [35] | 12 [31] | 120 [36] | 0.540 |
| Pleural fluid | ||||
| Total cell counts, [range] cells/ìL | 1,600 [850–2,800] | 1,225 [300–4,500] | 1,663 [900–2,650] | 0.415 |
| Lymphocytes, [range] % | 95 [75–98] | 25 [5–40] | 95 [85–98] | <0.001 |
| pH, (range) | 7.42 (7.37–7.46) | 7.37 (7.29–7.47) | 7.42 (7.38–7.46) | 0.019 |
| Protein, (range) g/dL | 5.1 (4.6–5.6) | 4.9 (4.0–5.6) | 5.1 (4.6–5.6) | 0.073 |
| Glucose, [range] mg/dL | 98 [73–124] | 96 [66–145] | 98 [74–123] | 0.955 |
| Lactate dehydrogenase, [range] U/L | 880 [528–1,482] | 1,066 [441–2,045] | 860 [533–1,453] | 0.242 |
| ADA, [range] U/L | 83 [63–106] | 70 [45–111] | 84 [64–106] | 0.106 |
| AFB smear (+) | 2/371 [1] | 0/39 (0) | 2/332 [1] | 1.0 |
| TB-PCR (+) | 27/347 [8] | 7/37 [19] | 20/310 [7] | 0.016 |
| MTB culture (+) | 56/367 [15] | 8/38 [21] | 48/329 [15] | 0.294 |
Data are expressed as the median (IQR) or number (%). TB, tuberculosis; ADA, adenosine deaminase; AFB, acid fast bacilli; PCR, polymerase chain reaction; MTB, Mycobacterium tuberculosis.