Chest
Volume 73, Issue 1, January 1978, Pages 49-51
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Clinical Investigations
T and B Lymphocytes in Pleural Effusions

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To determine the diagnostic significance of the determination of T and B lymphocytes in pleural fluid, we studied these cells in peripheral blood and in pleural fluid by means of surface markers. Our study comprised 30 patients suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis, pulmonary malignancy, connective tissue disease, nonspecific pleurisy or congestive cardiac failure. In pulmonary tuberculosis, both the percentage and absolute numbers of T lymphocytes in pleural fluid were significantly higher than in peripheral Mood. In patients with pulmonary tuberculosis, pulmonary malignancy or nonspecific pleuritis, the percentages and absolute numbers of B lymphocytes were significantly lower in pleural fluid than in peripheral Mood. Considered together with other clinical and laboratory indices, these determinations may aid in the differential diagnosis of pleurisy of various etiology.

Section snippets

Material and Methods

The series consisted of 30 adult patients admitted to our hospital for diagnostic evaluation of unilateral or bilateral pleural effusion. The final etiologic diagnosis was based upon clinical, radiologic and laboratory findings. Determinations of total and differential cell counts, total protein, glucose and antinuclear factor were made from the pleural fluid of all patients. Rheumatoid factor was sought in all pleural fluids by the Waaler-Rose and latex fixation tests. All pleural fluids were

Results

Table 1 shows that the total number of T and B lymphocytes in peripheral blood in patients with pleural effusion and in the controls was the same. In patients with pulmonary tuberculosis, pulmonary malignancy, connective tissue disease, nonspecific pleurisy or congestive cardiac failure, the total number of lymphocytes (cells × 109/L) in pleural fluid was similar to that in peripheral blood.

In all patients except those with pulmonary tuberculosis, the percentages of T lymphocytes in pleural

Discussion

T and B lymphocytes have been studied in normal and abnormal body fluids and tissues, eg, synovial fluid,8, 9 synovial tissue,10, 11, 13 and cerebrospinal fluid.6, 7, 19 From these studies it has emerged that the true proportions of these lymphocytes in body fluids are poorly reflected in peripheral blood. The results of our study of T and B lymphocytes in pleural fluid seems to corroborate this view.

This work is based on a generally accepted method for the detection of T and B lymphocytes.20,

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    Manuscript received February 10; revision accepted May 10.

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