Table 3. Calprotectin concentration in pleural fluid according to the type of pleural effusion.
| Causes of PE | N (%) | Calprotectin (ng/mL) a | p-value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benign PE p | 198 (64.5) | 14,150 (5,000–62,375) | |
| Tuberculous PE | 21 (10.6) | 27,100 (9,025–50,550) | |
| Parapneumonic PE | 83 (41.9) | 42,900 (10,100–100,000) | |
| Non-infective PE | 94 (47.8) | 6,300 (5,000–19,700) | |
| p < 0.0001 p | |||
| Malignant PE p | 109 (35.5) | 5,000 (5,000–5,850) | |
| Lung cancer | 59 (54.1) | 5,000 (5,000–5,700) | |
| Mesothelioma | 8 (7.3) | 5,000 (5,000–15,550) | |
| Ovarian cancer | 11 (10.1) | 5,000 (5,000–6,800) | |
| Gastric cancer | 5 (4.6) | 5,000 (5,000–12,250) | |
| Breast cancer | 14 (12.8) | 5,000 (5,000–6,375) | |
| Haematologic cancers | 8 (7.3) | 5,000 (5,000–5,000) | |
| Others * | 4 (3.7) | 5,000 (5,000–5,675) |
PE = pleural effusion.
a Data are presented as the median and interquartile ranges.
p Pleural fluid calprotectin concentration in BPE compared to MPE, p < 0.0001.
*1 melanoma, 1 bladder cancer, 1 hepatocellular carcinoma, and 1 metastatic cancer of unknown origin.