Table 2. Percentage of neutrophils and lymphocytes in pleural fluid and in blood.
| Category | All samples (n = 141) Median (IQR) | Malignant (n = 117) Median (IQR) | Benign (n = 24) Median (IQR) | p value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| malignant vs benign | ||||
| % neutrophils (pleural) | 9 (2–33) | 8 (2–24) | 33 (3–61) | p = 0.019 |
| % neutrophils (blood) | 73 (65–80) | 74 (66–80) | 71 (63–77) | p = 0.422 |
| p value (pleural vs blood) | p<0.001 | |||
| % lymphocytes (pleural) | 41 (20–73) | 45 (20–72) | 39 (19–84) | p = 0.767 |
| % lymphocytes (blood) | 14 (9–22) | 14 (9–22) | 16 (9–21) | p = 0.60 |
| p value (pleural vs blood) | p<0.001 |
IQR—interquartile range.