Diagnostic significance of adenosine deaminase in pleural tuberculosis

ABSTRACT

Tuberculosis [TB] is a major cause of pleural effusion, which in TB usually has lymphocytic and exudative characteristics. The analysis adenosine deaminase [ADA] activity is a very useful diagnostic approach to achieve a more rapid and precise diagnosis in the cases of pulmonary TB. Fifty male and fifty female patients presenting with tuberculous pleural effusion were included in the study. The patients were taken from the medical ward of Sir Ganga Ram Hospital. Activity of adenosine deaminase [ADA] was estimated by the technique of Sodium dodecyl sulphate electrophoresis [SDS-EF] using 10% polyacrylamide gel. There is an increased level of enzyme ADA in pleural fluid of tuberculous patients as compared to normal subjects. Estimation of ADA activity may provide the basis for the rapid and efficient diagnosis of pleural TB in different clinical settings. However study should be carried out on large number of patients to reach a better conclusion: