BACKGROUND: The cell mediated immunity has an important role in the pathogenesis of tuberculosis. sIL-2R has been known as a sensitive marker of T lymphocyte activation. Elevated serum levels of sIL-2R have been found in patients with lymphoproliferative disorders, organ transplantation, autoimmune diseases, and various granulomatous diseases. Elevated levels of sIL-2R have been also found in the seam and pleural fluid of the patients with tuberculosis. To evaluate the diagnostic value of sIL-2R in the differentiation of tuberculous pleurisy and. nontuberculous pleurisy. We measured the level of sIL-2R in the sera and pleural fluids of 12 patients with tuberculous pleurisy and 32 patients with nontuberculous pleurisy. METHOD: Samples of pleural fluid and serum were centrifuged at 2500 rpm for 10 min to remove cell pellets. Soluble R-2R was measured with a sandwitch enzyme immunoassay using the Cellfree r Interleukin-2 Receptor Test kit( T-cell science, Inc. Cambridge, MA). RESULTS: The results obtained were as follows: 1) The sIL-2R level in pleural fluid of the patients with tuberculous pleurisy was higher than that of patients with nontuberculous pleurisy(P<0.005). 2) When the sIL-2R level above 5,000 u/ml in pleural fluid was used as the cut-off value to diagnose tuberculous pleurisy, it had a sensitivity of 84.6% and a specificity of 90.9%. 3) The sIL-2R level in the sera of the patients with tuberculous pleurisy was higher than that of patients with bacterial pleural effusions and normal control group(P<0.05) and there was no difference of levels compared with malignant pleural effusions and transudative pleural effusions(P>0.05). 4) In patients with tuberculous pleurisy, the mean concentration of sIL-2R in pleural fluid was higher than that in serum(P<0.005). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that the measurement of elevated levels of pleural fluid sIL-2R in tuberculous pleurisy may be useful in the differential diagnosis between patients with tuberculous pleurisy and nontuberculous pleurisy.
Autoimmune Diseases ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Immunity, Cellular ; Immunoenzyme Techniques ; Interleukin-2* ; Lymphocyte Activation ; Lymphoproliferative Disorders ; Organ Transplantation ; Pleural Effusion ; Pleural Effusion, Malignant ; Pleurisy* ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; T-Lymphocytes ; Transplants ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Pleural*

Purpose: To evaluate the timing of the improvement in surgical skills of the direct anterior approach for hip arthroplasty through an analysis of the clinical features and learning curve in 58 cases. Materials and Methods: From November 2016 to November 2018, 58 patients, who were divided into an early half and late half, and underwent hip arthroplasty by the direct anterior approach, were enrolled in this retrospective study. The operation time and complications (fracture, lateral femoral cutaneous nerve injury, heterotopic ossification, infection, and dislocation) were assessed using a chi-square test, paired t-test, and cumulative sum (CUSUM) test. Results: The mean operation times in total hip arthroplasty (26 cases) and bipolar hemi-arthroplasty were 132.1 minutes and 79.7 minutes, respectively, demonstrating a significant difference between the two groups. CUSUM analysis based on the results revealed breakthrough points of the operation time, decreasing to less than the mean operation time because of the 16th case in total hip arthroplasty and 14th case in bipolar hemiarthroplasty. Complications were encountered in the early phase and late phase: five cases of fractures in the early phase, no case in the late phase; eight and two cases of lateral femoral cutaneous nerve injury, respectively; three and two cases of heterotopic ossification, respectively; and one case of dislocation, one case of infection and three cases of others in the early phase. The CUSUM chart for the fracture rate during operation in the early phase revealed the following: five cases fracture (17.2%) in the early phase and no case in the late phase (0%). This highlights the learning curve and the need for monitoring the inadequacy of operation based on the complications. Conclusion Hip arthroplasty performed by the direct anterior approach based on an anatomical understanding makes it difficult to observe the surgical field and requires a learning curve of at least 30 cases.

No abstract available.
Renal Insufficiency*