Abstract

ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND:
C-reactive protein (CRP) is an acute phase reactant produced primarily by hepatocytes; its production is stimulated by systemic inflammation of either infectious or noninfectious origin. The cytokines that are released during the inflammation are the main stimulants of the acute phase reactants. Interleukin-6 is the main stimulant cytokine of the synthesis of most acute-phase reactants.
OBJECTIVE:
To differentiate between infectious and malignant pleural effusions by measuring pleural fluid CRP titer.
MATERIALS AND METHODS:
This was a hospital-based cross-sectional study at Baghdad teaching hospital medical wards conducted from the 1st of November 2014 up to the 31th of august 2015.
Fifty patients with pleural effusion proved by the history, examination,
Chest imaging and pleural tapping included in this study, all proved to have
An exudative pleural effusion by the light criteria.
RESULTS:
Showing statistically significant differences in CRP titer between:-
1-Parapneumonic pleural effusion (PPE) and malignant pleural effusion (MPE)
2-TB pleural effusion (TBPE) and malignant pleural effusion (MPE).
CONCLUSION:
Pleural fluid C-reactive protein titer can be used as an aid in the differentiation between some infectious causes of pleural effusion and malignant pleural effusion as there is a statistically significant difference between the Pleural fluid C-reactive protein titer of the infectious pleural effusion and the malignant pleural effusion.