Diagnosis and Treatment of Tuberculous Pleuritis.
- Author:
Jae Joon YIM
1
Author Information
1. Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Depatment of Internal Medicine and Lung Institute of Medical Research Center, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. yimjj@snu.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Review
- Keywords:
Tuberculosis;
Pleural effusion;
Diagnosis;
Treatment
- MeSH:
Adenosine Deaminase;
Biopsy;
Drainage;
Ethambutol;
Isoniazid;
Pleural Effusion;
Pleurisy;
Pyrazinamide;
Rifampin;
Steroids;
Tuberculosis
- From:Korean Journal of Medicine
2011;81(2):150-153
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
Tuberculous (TB) pleuritis is the second most common form of extrapulmonary tuberculosis. Because the yield of pleural fluid mycobacterial culture is as low as 20% and the pleural biopsy is rather invasive, the measurement of adenosine deaminase (ADA) has been a cornerstone of the diagnosis of TB pleuritis. If the ADA level of pleural fluid is higher than 70 IU/L, the diagnosis of TB pleuritis can be made safely. The treatment is based on a standard short course anti-TB treatment starting with isoniazid, rifampicin, ethambutol, and pyrazinamide. Although systemic steroids and drainage of pleural fluid have been tried to reduce the residual pleural thickening, the results are contradicting.
