闭式胸膜活检加胸膜刷检在胸腔积液中的诊断价值

目的探讨闭式胸腔穿刺胸膜活检同时胸膜刷检在渗出性胸腔积液中的诊断价值。方法对87例渗出性胸腔积液患者,同时行闭式胸膜活检术与胸膜刷检术。结果 87例患者,胸膜活检113次,成功率92.9%(105/113),病因诊断阳性率为70.1%(61/87)。胸膜刷检112次,成功率73.2%(82/112),病因诊断阳性率为60.0%(52/87)。胸膜活检病因诊断阳性率虽高于胸膜刷检,但差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。有11例患者胸膜活检病因诊断阴性,胸膜刷检阳性;有20例患者胸膜刷检病因诊断阴性,但胸膜活检阳性。胸膜活检同时胸膜刷检,病因诊断阳性率提高至82.8%(72/87),高于单独胸膜活检及单独胸膜刷检(均P0.05)。87例患者胸膜检查时发生胸膜反应3例(2.7%),气胸4例(3.5%)。结论经皮胸膜活检与胸膜刷检均是渗出性胸腔积液病因诊断的重要手段,相对安全。胸膜活检同时胸膜刷检有更高的病因诊断阳性率,在渗出性胸腔积液的临床诊断中具有重要价值。     

Radiographic visualization of pleural space under negative pleural pressure

Although many imaging modalities have developed in the area of pulmonary medicine, information about the condition of pleural surface is limited. In this study, we carried out contrast pleurography under negative pleural pressure in dogs and humans to evaluate the condition of the pleural space including adhesion between the two pleural layers, incomplete fissure and features of the pleural surface. After insertion of a flower-type catheter into the pleural space under ultrasonic guidance, contrast material (60% Meglumine iotalamate, Conray 60, 0.5-1.0 ml/kg) was injected into the pleural space through the catheter. In dogs with intact pleura, contrast material distributed to the pulmonary surface, including interlobar spaces, rapidly. In dogs with pleural adhesion which was induced artificially with talc, affected areas were visualized as defects of contrast material. In humans, this contrast pleurography provided information about pleural adhesion, pulmonary lobulation, extent of cancer to neighbouring lobes, irregular pleural surface due to bullae formation and pleural indentation by cancerous lesion. There was no serious complication in dogs and human studies. This contrast pleurography is unique because it is possible to evaluate the pleural space physiologically under negative pressure condition. It may be concluded that this method of pleurography is useful for the clinical evaluation of the condition of the pleura in various lung diseases.     

A case of multiple pleural cryptococcosis without pleural effusion

Pulmonary cryptococcosis is most likely to occur in immunocompromised patients. The radiological manifestations generally include pulmonary parenchymal lesions, namely, pulmonary nodules, cavitary lesions, and consolidation; thus, multiple pleural nodules are unusual presentation. Here, we report a woman who presented with multiple pleural cryptococcosis without pleural effusion. The patient had previously undergone surgery for stage II rectal cancer. In addition, she received 6 cycles of chemotherapy for follicular lymphoma. Computed tomography (CT) revealed multiple small nodules involving the pleura without pleural effusion, which suggested possible recurrence of rectal cancer or malignant lymphoma as pleural dissemination. Thoracoscopic examination was performed, and pleural cryptococcosis was diagnosed. Although pleural cryptococcosis without pleural effusion is extremely rare presentation, clinicians should consider it when an immunocompromised patient presents with multiple pleural nodules. Thoracoscopic exploration should be the best procedure for the definitive diagnosis of multiple pleural nodules.     

Use of indwelling pleural catheters for chronic pleural infection

Recurrent, chronic pleural infection creates difficult management issues. Surgical drainage is currently recommended for patients who have failed initial "medical treatment" (ie, tube thoracostomy and antibiotic therapy), but the options for patients not fit for surgery are limited. Prolonged closed tube drainage may be an option in this group, although concerns exist regarding the efficacy and risk of catheter blockage. Long-term indwelling pleural catheters are increasingly used for the treatment of recurrent malignant pleural effusion. Pleural infection is recognized as a complication and is cited as a contraindication to insertion of an indwelling pleural drain within the product literature. We report two patients with empyema in a fixed pleural space in whom the insertion of an ambulatory catheter produced successful drainage. Long-term indwelling pleural catheters may have a role in maintaining the drainage of a chronically infected pleural space that is not readily treated in other ways.     

IFN-γ、 CRP与结核性胸膜炎胸膜黏连的相关性

结核性渗出性胸膜炎的常见并发症为胸膜黏连,近年来有关结核性胸膜炎所致胸膜黏连的影响因素报道较多,胸腔积液存在的时间,胸水白蛋白及纤维蛋白原含量,胸腔积液是否抽液治疗等均与胸膜黏连有相关性,但免疫因素及炎症反应在结核性胸腔积液发生胸膜黏连,研究报道较少.临床证实以辅助性T淋巴细胞（Th细胞）免疫为代表的机体免疫功能与结核病的发病、病情转归等关系密切.Thl免疫在外周血减弱而在病灶处增强,且随病程动态变化,这是结核病的基本免疫学特征.     

Eosinophilic pleural effusions

Eosinophilic pleural effusions, defined as a pleural effusion that contains at least 10% eosinophils, may be caused by almost every condition that can cause pleural disease. Eosinophilic pleural effusion occurs most commonly during conditions associated with the presence of blood or air in the pleural space, infections, and malignancy. Drug-induced pleural effusions, pleural effusions accompanying pulmonary embolism, and benign asbestos pleural effusions are also among the common causes of eosinophilic pleural effusion. No etiology is found in as many as one third of patients. Because studies evaluating different diagnostic approaches with eosinophilic pleural effusions are lacking, the authors suggest that certain noninvasive and invasive diagnostic tools must be used based on the patient's clinical characteristics.     

The relationship between pleural fluid findings and the development of pleural thickening in patients with pleural tuberculosis

The objective of the study was to determine if residual pleural thickening after treatment for pleural tuberculosis could be predicted from the pleural fluid findings at the time of the initial thoracentesis. Forty-four patients initially diagnosed as having pleural tuberculosis between January 1986 and January 1988 were separated into two groups: the 23 patients in group 1 had residual pleural disease, while the 21 patients in group 2 had no residual pleural disease after treatment for their pleural tuberculosis was completed. The clinical characteristics of the two different groups did not differ significantly, but the patients in group 1 tended to be a little sicker in that the duration of their symptoms was longer, their hemoglobin values were lower, and weight loss and cough were more frequent. There were no significant differences in the pleural fluid findings in the two different groups. The mean pleural fluid protein level was 5.40 +/- 0.58 g/dl for group 1 and 5.17 +/- 0.80 g/dl for group 2, while the mean pleural fluid glucose level was 78.6 +/- 19.5 mg/dl for group 1 and 79.5 +/- 20.1 mg/dl for group 2. The mean pleural fluid lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level in group 1 was 593 +/- 498 IU/L, while the mean level for group 2 was 491 +/- 198 IU/L. The presence of residual pleural thickening was not related to the chemotherapeutic regimen or the performance of a therapeutic thoracentesis. From this study we conclude that approximately 50 percent of patients with pleural tuberculosis will have residual pleural thickening when their therapy is completed, but that one cannot predict which patients will have residual pleural thickening from either their clinical characteristics or their pleural fluid findings.     

胸腔穿刺联合胸腔闭锁引流治疗反复发作的胸腔积液35例疗效观察

目的观察胸腔穿刺联合胸腔闭锁引流治疗反复发作的胸腔积液的效果。方法对35例病人进行胸腔穿刺结合胸腔粘连术及对病因的治疗,B超检查观察疗效。结果控制胸腔积液CR（完全治愈）：30例;PR（部分治愈）：3例。有效率达到94．3％。主要的副作用是发热和胸痛。结论胸腔穿刺联合胸腔闭锁术是对反复发作的胸腔积液治疗的有效手段之一。     

Prognostic features of residual pleural thickening in metapneumonic pleural effusion

Residual pleural thickening (RPT) develops in some patients after metapneumonic pleural effusion (MPE). Our aim was to identify factors that predict the development of RPT by retrospectively analyzing patients with MPE secondary to bacterial pneumonia in our practice from 1992 through April 1997. Patients were assigned to groups based on the presence or not of RPT (> 10 mm) three months or more after diagnosis of MPE. One hundred twenty-eight patients were included in the analysis. Seventy-nine patients (62%) developed RPT and 49 (38%) did not. Patients with RPT had significantly lower glucose levels and pH and higher LDH levels in pleural fluid. A higher percentage of patients with RPT had loculate pleural effusions and empyema, and they more often required insertion of drains. Logistic regression analysis showed that only glucose < 40 mg/dl (OR: 3.4; CI 95%: 2.3 to 4.5; p < 0.05) and the presence of pus collected from the initial thoracocentesis (OR: 3.6; CI 95%: 2.6 to 4.5; p < 0.01) were significantly associated with increased risk of developing residual pachypleuritis in subjects with MPE.     

Volume of pleural fluid required for diagnosis of pleural malignancy

STUDY OBJECTIVES: To determine if the diagnosis of pleural malignancy is dependent on the volume of pleural fluid sampled. DESIGN AND SETTING: Single-center retrospective chart review. PATIENTS: Two hundred eighty-two patients who underwent diagnostic thoracentesis between October 1, 1998, and June 30, 1999. INTERVENTIONS: Charts were analyzed for volume of fluid, pathologic and clinical diagnoses, and demographics. Patients were classified into quartiles based on the volume of pleural fluid collected. Sensitivity and negative predictive value (NPV) were calculated for each quartile for diagnosis of pleural malignancy by cytology of pleural fluid. Further analyses were done regarding the effect of sex, race, age, smoking history, and personal history of malignancy on diagnosis. RESULTS: In total, 374 samples from 282 patients were identified (140 men and 142 women). Pleural malignancy within 6 months of initial thoracentesis was diagnosed in 99 patients (35.1%). No differences were detected for sensitivity and NPV for diagnosis of pleural malignancy between any two quartiles (p > 0.05). Samples collected from women had a higher sensitivity for predicting pleural malignancy (p = 0.0011), and those collected from nonsmokers had a slightly higher but not statistically significant sensitivity for predicting pleural malignancy (p = 0.057). Samples collected from subjects with no history of malignancy had a significantly higher NPV than samples collected from subjects with a history of malignancy (p < 0.001). After adjusting for these demographic and medical history factors, the associations of the pleural fluid volume quartiles with sensitivity and NPV did not change. CONCLUSION: The sensitivity for diagnosis of pleural malignancy is not dependent on the volume of pleural fluid extracted during thoracentesis.     

Tuberculous pleural effusion

Tuberculous effusion is a common disease entity with a spectrum of presentations from a largely benign effusion, which resolves completely, to a complicated effusion with loculations, pleural thickening and even frank empyema, all of which may have a lasting effect on lung function. The pathogenesis is a combination of true pleural infection and an effusive hypersensitivity reaction, compartmentalized within the pleural space. Diagnostic thoracentesis with thorough pleural fluid analysis including biomarkers such as adenosine deaminase and gamma interferon achieves high accuracy in the correct clinical context. Definitive diagnosis may require invasive procedures to demonstrate histological evidence of caseating granulomas or microbiological evidence of the organism on smear or culture. Drug resistance is an emerging problem that requires vigilance and extra effort to acquire a complete drug sensitivity profile for each tuberculous effusion treated. Nucleic acid amplification tests such as Xpert MTB/RIF can be invaluable in this instance; however, the yield is low in pleural fluid. Treatment consists of standard anti‐tuberculous therapy or a guideline‐based individualized regimen in the case of drug resistance. There is low‐quality evidence that suggests possible benefit from corticosteroids; however, they are not currently recommended due to concomitant increased risk of adverse effects. Small studies report some short‐ and long‐term benefit from interventions such as therapeutic thoracentesis, intrapleural fibrinolytics and surgery but many questions remain to be answered.