284 patients with pleural effusion (PE) treated in A.D of Bach Mai Hospital from 1 Jan to 31 Dec 2001 were investigated retrospectively. The causes of PE weres determined as tuberculosis 32.7%, lung cancer 23.9%, parapneumonic effusion 8.1%, heart failure 7%, liver cirrhosis 3.5% and other causes 6.7%. 77.9% of cancer pleural effusion were aged above 50 and 66.7% of tuberculosis pleural effusion – under 50, common signs and symptoms were chest pain 76.7%, dypsnea 78.2%, cough 46.8%, expectoration 27.8%, fever 50.4%, weight loss 29.9% and pleural effusion syndrom 87%. Parachinical characteristics were: By chest Xray, free effusion in 78.6%. By pleural ultrasound, free pleural effusion 63.7%; lobulated pleural effusion 13.1%; pleural effusion with walls 20.2%. Rivalta test of pleural fluid(+) 83.8%, (-) 16.2%. Cytology of pleural fluid: malignant cells found in 23.6%. PCR MTB test of pleural fluid(+) in 34.4% of cases of tuberculous pleuritis. Histology of pleural needle biopsy – malignant in 23.4% of with 10.6% mesothelioma, pleural tuberculosis in 34.1%, other etiology in 42.5% of cases.
diagnosis ; Pleural Effusion ; Diagnostic Techniques, Respiratory System

Diagnostic Techniques, Respiratory System ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Homeodomain Proteins ; analysis ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Hypoventilation ; physiopathology ; Male ; Sleep Apnea Syndromes ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; therapy

Antitubercular Agents ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Diagnostic Techniques, Respiratory System ; Drug Approval ; Drug Resistance ; Female ; Gene Amplification ; Humans ; Immune Adherence Reaction ; Male ; Treatment Failure ; Tuberculosis ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; genetics