T lymphocyte sub-populations in malignant and tuberculous pleural effusion or ascites / 中华全科医师杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To determine counts of T lymphocyte sub-populations in malignant and tuberculous pleural effusion or ascites and evaluate its significance in difierential diagnosis.Methods T lymphocyte sub-populations in pleural effusion or ascites and peripheral blood were determined in 30 patients with tuberculosis and 31 patients with cancer by flow cytometry.Concentrations of cytokines Th1 and Th2,γ-interferon(IFN-γ),interleukin-12(IL-12)and IL-4 in pleural effusion or ascites were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).Results Compared to that in peripheral blood,percentage of CD3+ and CD4+ T-celI counts were all higher in both malignant and tuberculous pleural effusion or ascites [(73±6)%and(67±20)%vs.(51±19)%and(48±14)%,P＜0.05].Although CD3+T-cells count was higher in tuberculous pleural effusions or ascites,no difference in ratio of CD3+ and CD4+/CD3+ and CD8+ T-cell counts was found between malignant and tuberculous pleural effusions or ascites.However,ratios of IFN-γ and IL-12 to IL-4 were higher in tuberculous pleural effusion or ascites(54±24 and 82±19vs.8±6 and 19±10,t=10.34 and 16.28,respectively,P＜0.01).Conclusions CD3+ and CD4+ Tcells can be aggregated in both malignant and tuberculous pleural effusions or ascites,80 nature (tuberculosis or malignancy)of pleural effusion or ascites can not be differentiated by CD4+ and/or CD8+ T-cell counts only,and determination of cytokines Th1 and Th2 can help their differentiation.