Plevral Fluid sIL-2R in Differential Diagnosis of Plevral Effusions

We meopstıred sIL-2R levels in serum and pleural fluids of 89 patients hospitalized with pleural effusion and 15 healthy individuals choosen as control group, at the Chest Diseases Department of Selçuk University Medical Faculty. The patients divided into four groups in respect to their final diagnosis; 1) Tuberculosis (n= 24), 2) Malignancies (n= 27), 3) Pneumonia (n= 28) and 4) Congestive hearth ftıilure (n= 10). Serum sIL-2R level in alt patient groups was increased signıficarıtly compared to the control group. Although mean serum s1L-'R level of the patients with tuberculous pleurisywas the highest, it was not statistically dıllerent from those of the malignant and pneumonic elfusions. The mean pleural fluid sIL-2R level of tuberculous ellusions was 385 ± 17 pmoll I, which was significantly higher than the levels found in other groups. There was not any significant dıfferences between the pleural fluid to serum sIL-2R ratio of alt patients group. The specifity and sensitivity of pleural fluid sIL-2R level in excess of 300 pnioll I in distinguishing tuberculous effusion were 42% and 91%, respectively. Our findings indicate that determination of sIL-2R level may be useful in the diagnosis of tuberculous pleurisy.