Revisiting tuberculous pleurisy: pleural fluid characteristics and diagnostic yield of mycobacterial culture in an endemic area.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Tuberculous pleurisy is traditionally indicated by extreme lymphocytosis in pleural fluid and low yield of effusion culture. However, there is considerable inconsistency among previous study results. In addition, these data should be updated due to early effusion studies and advances in culture methods.

Methods

From January 2004 to June 2009, patients with tuberculous pleurisy were retrospectively identified from the mycobacteriology laboratories and the pathology and tuberculosis registration databases of two hospitals in Taiwan where tuberculosis is endemic. Pleural fluid characteristics and yields of mycobacterial cultures using liquid media were evaluated.

Results

A total of 382 patients with tuberculous pleurisy were identified. The median lymphocyte p

SUBMITTER: Ruan SY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3426072 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature