Adenosine Deaminase Activity In The Diagnosis Of Tuberculous Pleural Effusion:

El Sayed Moustafa El Sayed

The present study was carrie out on 30 patients with pleural effusions. They were aetilogically divided into 2 groups.Group I : included 20 patients with tuberculous effusions.Group II : included 10 patients with empyema.Adenosine deaminase activity was measured in pleural fluid and serum of all patients and in serum of 10 normal subjects using the sensitive colorimetric metod of galanti and giusti. In addition, all patients were subjected to full history, complete clinical examination, plain chest X-ray, tuberculin test, sputum examination for acid fact bacilli, complete blood picture, erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Toracocentesis was done and pleural aspirate was examined for : gross appearance, specific gravity. Protein content, glucose contet, bacteriological and cytological examination and adenosine activities.The mean value of pleural fluid ADA activity was statistically significant among patients wit empyema as compared to tuberculous effusios.