Clinical characteristics and pleural biopsy values in pleural effusion patients treated Respiratory Department of Bach Mai Hospital from March 2002 to September 2003

221 patients with pleural effusion were treated in Bach Mai hospital from March 2002 to August 2003 were studied retrospectively in a cross-sectional investigation. Their 134 cases (60.6%) were tuberculosis plural effusion, 66 cases were pleural cancer and 17 cases (82.1%) undetermined. The common symptoms were cough, chest pain, dyspnoea and “3 reduce symdrome”, fever in 82.1% of tuberculosis pleural effusion. Biosy had determined the tuberculosis in 48.8% of cancer, cancer 19.4%, chronical inflammatory 31.9%. Pleural biopsy had got the sensitivity (Se)= 75% and specificity Sp = 97%. Biopsy in diagnosis of tuberculosis pleural effusion led to mild complication in 10% of patients